Guide

Blended Tea: Leaves From More Than One Garden

A blended tea is made by combining leaves from more than one origin. Blending evens out the character of individual gardens and smooths over variation between seasons and years, so a tin tastes the same whenever you buy it.

Recipes differ by house, and two blends sharing a name can taste quite different. What follows are blend *types*; the actual cup varies by product.

Types of blend

House Blend

Leaf: Various regions
Liquor color: Bright red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight, iced, or with milk

A classic blend that is easy to drink every day, focusing on balance.

Iced Tea Blend

Leaf: Ceylon - Various Regions
Liquor color: Bright Red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced tea

A specially blended tea designed to minimize cloudiness when chilled.

Summer Blend

Leaf: Ceylon, Darjeeling, etc.
Liquor color: Bright Golden
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced or straight.

A light and refreshing blend, perfect for summer.

English Breakfast

Leaf: India and Ceylon
Liquor color: Deep Red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as a milk tea

A blend created for morning tea, characterized by its astringency.

Royal Blend

Leaf: India, Ceylon and various others
Liquor color: Dark brown
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as milk tea

The blend ratios vary by manufacturer.

Classic Blend

Leaf: China, Taiwan, India
Liquor color: Deep Red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as a milk tea

Well-balanced bitterness and astringency.

Afternoon Tea

Leaf: Assam, India
Liquor color: Deep Red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as milk tea or iced tea

Smooth flavor.

Irish Breakfast

Leaf: Assam region
Liquor color: Dark reddish-brown
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as a milk tea

Rich and robust, with a higher Assam content than traditional English blends.

Prince of Wales

Leaf: Primarily Chinese black tea
Liquor color: Bright amber
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed straight

A light and elegant blend based on Chinese black tea.

Russian Caravan

Leaf: China (Keemun, Lapsang, and others)
Liquor color: Deep reddish-brown
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight or milk tea

Subtle smoky aroma. A blend with a story from caravan journeys.

Ceylon Blend

Leaf: Various regions of Sri Lanka
Liquor color: Bright red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight, iced, or with milk

A blend of tea leaves from various regions of Sri Lanka. Clear and versatile.

How each brand began — Tea Brands →

See all teas in the encyclopedia →