News from Upton Tea

New Product: China Pu-Erh Classic

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

An affordable Pu-Erh with a smooth quality and classic earthy flavor notes. This style was difficult to obtain due to a surge in popularity, and we are pleased to be able to offer it once again.

Summer Vacation

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Upton Tea Imports will be closed for our annual vacation from July 4th through July 12th. Orders received by July 2nd will be shipped on July 3rd. Due to early holiday pickups by the postal service and our other shippers we cannot guarantee delivery time of orders placed on July 3rd. All orders not shipped on the 3rd will be shipped upon our return on July 13th.

We will also be closed Fridays from July 31st through the month of August so that our staff can enjoy a little extra time off!

New Product: Father's Day Sampler

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In honor of Father's Day we have created a sampler set of four popular teas.

Each tin is approximately 35g of each of the following: Black Label Breakfast Fannings (TB07), Robert Fortune Blend #41 (TB84), Lapsang Souchong Black Dragon (ZS90) and Green Gunpowder Special Grade (ZG30).

New Product: Father's Day Gift Set

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Created specially for Father's Day, this gift set includes a Chatsford 2-cup (12 oz.) brown Earthenware teapot and Father's Day Sampler. The sampler set contains a variety of four teas and may also be purchased separately under item SM02.

New Product: Earl Grey Green Decaffeinated

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A green, flavorful variant of the classic black tea with natural bergamot aroma. Decaffeinated with pure carbon dioxide. New lot.

New Product: Iced Tea Sampler #1

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A tin (approx. 35g.) of each of the following teas: Darjeeling-Ceylon Iced Tea Blend (TB49), Peach Tea with Pieces (TF73), Java BOP Blend (TB15), and Kandy BOP (TC30).

New Product: Kuwapani Estate SFTGFOP1 Cl/Tippy

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We are very pleased to introduce our first selection from the Nepal Kuwapani Estate. Darjeeling and Oolong enthusiasts will appreciate the complex cup, with muscatel notes and hints of chestnut, wood and honey. The rich aroma in the dry and infused leaf portends the exquisite cup.

New Product: Japanese Sencha Koumi

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This exceptional tea is produced in the Uji region of Kyoto prefecture, and factory sealed to ensure freshness. Kuomi is lightly steamed and has an attractive dark, green leaf. The light-colored liquor has exceptional character. A three minute steep with 160 degree water is recommended for optimal flavor.

New Product: China Pu-Erh Tuo Cha, Size 1

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

With a weight of approximately three grams per cake (small tuo cha), this is an ideal size for one or two cups. Multiple infusions are often made. The liquor is dense and black.

New Product: Season's Pick Moroccan Mint

Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This Morrocan Mint tea has a pinhead gunpowder base with a slightly smokey note. It is lightly blended with organic spearmint. A nice afternoon treat and great for iced tea.

New Product: Introduction to Fine Tea Sampler

Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A tin (approx 35g) each of the following: Premium China Keemun (TP12), No.1 Tippy Orthodox GFOP Darjeeling (TD50), China Yunnan TGFOP (ZY51), and East Frisian BOP Assam Tea (TB51). Representative of a wide range of fine black teas.

New Product: Premium Assam Sampler

Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A tin (approx. 35g) of each of the following Assams: Marangi Estate FTGFOP1 Cl (TA49), Halmari Estate FTGFOP1 Cl (TA86), Sree Sibbari Estate SGFTGFOP1 Cl (TA88) and Duflating Estate FTGFOP1 Cl/Spl (TA96).

New Product: Mother's Day Sampler

Sun, 10 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In honor of Mother's Day we have created a sampler set of four lovely teas and tisanes.

Each tin is approximately 35g of each of the following flowered teas and tisanes: Earl Grey with Blue Flowers (TE16), Green Rooibos Poire Creme (BA04), Organic Rose Green Tea (TP46) and Rooibos Pretoria Blend (BA12).

Also available bundled with a bone china teapot in our Mother's Day Gift Set.

New Product: Premium Decaffeinated Sampler

Sun, 10 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A tin (approx. 35g.) of each of the following decaffeinated teas: Ceylon English Breakfast (TC09), Premium Earl Grey (TXE9), Decaffeinated Vanilla (EA) (TX91), and China Green (ZG09).

New Product: Mother's Day Gift Set

Sun, 10 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Created specially for Mother's Day, this gift set includes a Chatsford 4-cup (24 oz.) Bone China teapot with blue accent stripe and Mother's Day sampler set. The sampler set contains a variety of four teas and tisanes with flowers and may also be purchased separately under item SM01.

New Product: Organic Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearl

Sun, 10 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This rare offering is produced from select, fine pluckings of organic green tea. The essence of organic jasmine blossoms is added to create a harmonious, scenting which complements the fine, delicate tea. We have a limited supply of this new lot.

New Product: Adawatte Estate Pekoe

Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This Pekoe grade offering from the Adawatte Estate has characteristic bold, curly leaves. The delicate cup is light and flavorful, with nuances of citrus and a pleasing pungency in the style of many choice teas from the Uva district.

New Product: Season's Pick Sencha Blend

Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This Sencha is produced under the supervision of a Japanese tea company in China. The flavor is deep, with a brothy character and a sweet vegital note. A great value for a Sencha of this style.

New Product: Soureni Estate FTGFOP1 Ch. First Flush (DJ-11)

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A wonderful selection with deep olive-green leaves and a rich, golden-ecru cup. The flavor is full, with slightly nutty nuances. We found this to be one of the gems from what has been a difficult season in northern India.

New Product: Puttabong Estate SFTGFOP1 First Flush (DJ-27)

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This 2009 offering has a pleasing, lively cup. The zesty level of pungency makes this an ideal tea for a rich dessert. While this is classic first flush tea, the cup has a complex flavor and finish, with muscatel notes more characteristic of a second flush tea.

New Product: Season's Pick Himalayan FOP

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This is a great selection for those seeking a Darjeeling-like experience at an affordable price. With a light golden-amber liquor and lightly floral aroma. The after-taste is sweet and has a light muscatel nuance.

New Product: Season's Pick Putharjhora FTGFOP1

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A flavorful tea with an amber liquor and a malty aroma of an Assam. The cup has a refreshing pungency and minty note, characteristic of many Darjeelings.

Upton Tea Imports at Taste of the Nation Worcester

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Upton Tea Imports will be participating in Taste of the Nation Worcester for the third year. This event takes place on April 27, 2009 from 5:30-9:00pm at the Crowne Plaza hotel located at 10 Lincoln Sq, Worcester, MA.

Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation® is the nation’s premier culinary benefit dedicated to making sure no kid in America grows up hungry. In Worcester, 100% of the proceeds from ticket sales goes to Worcester County Food Bank and Rachel's Table. Tickets are $50 in advance or $75 at the door. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation website.

We hope to see you there!

New Product: Arya Estate First Flush SFTGFOP1 (DJ-1)

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The first production of the first flush season from this highly esteemed estate. The aroma of the infused leaf has a pleasing minty note. The cup has a gentle, crisp pungency with a buttery-smooth mouth feel. Although all teas from this estate are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, we are not designating this tea as organic since formal documentation of the organic certification has not been received in time for release.

New Product: Ging Estate First Flush FTGFOP1 (DJ-1)

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This offering has the classic floral/fruity aroma, minty nuances, and refreshing astringency of top first flush selections. Production has been very limited in Darjeeling this season. This is especially true of lots of this quality.

New Product: Barnesbeg Estate FTGFOP1 First Flush (DJ-6)

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A very affordable selection, with a classic first flush character, pronounced pungency and fresh aroma. The cup has a refreshing character with delicate notes of citrus and mint.

New Product: Castleton Estate TGBOP Ch. First Flush (DJ-25)

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The greenish, broken leaf yields a cup with a pronounced sweet, floral aroma. The liquor has crisp, minty nuances, with a hint of spice and almond. The finish is smooth and mildly pungent when steeped for 1 to 1.5 minutes.

New Product: New Season Top Lung Ching (Long-Jing)

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This exceptional Lung Ching (Long-Jing) is traditionally only produced before the 15th of March. The quality is superb, with a very subtle, nutty aroma and delicate flavor hints. The cup is clean, smooth and wonderfully satisfying. Highly recommended.

New Product: Bogawantalawa Estate FBOP

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A high-grown Dimbula FBOP with a buttery, smooth liquor. The well-balanced cup has a refreshing level of tannin and pleasing citrus hints. The sweet finish lingers with a light pungency. Highly recommended.

New Product: Namring Upper Estate FTGFOP1 First Flush (EX-1)

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

One of the top early lots from the esteemed Namring Upper garden. The attractive leaves, with a generous portion of tips, have an especially fresh and heady aroma. The liquor has a classic Namring Upper profile -- smooth, sweet, and lightly pungent.

New Product: Powdered Green Tea Box Set

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A set of individually packaged powdered sencha and gen-mai cha. May be used with hot or cold water to make a cup of "instant" tea. The set includes 10 packet tubes of each green tea. The sample contains 2 of each. Each tube of 0.4 grams makes one 5-ounce cup.

New Product: Seeyok Estate FTGFOP1 Second Flush (DJ-83) Organic

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

An intriguing tea, with light minty hints reminiscent of a first flush Darjeeling. The delicate, fruity cup has a light apple note and the muscatel characteristics of a second flush. Most will enjoy this mellow tea plain, but a few drops of milk can complement some of the flavors.

New Product: Organic China Keemun OP

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

An organic selection from An Hui province, with a rustic quality. The flavor is classic, with hints of cocoa and nutmeg. The cup has a dark color, smooth character and sweet, full finish.

New Product: Keemun Mao Feng Imperial

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A superior Keemun, with the depth of flavor and refined complexity characteristic of this top grade. The long, wiry leaves have a rich, deep aroma. The cup has notes of wine, fruit, and chocolate, with a light, smoky nuance in the finish.

New Product: China Green Peonies

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This handcrafted display tea gets its name from the peony shape of tied leaf sets. The aromatic liquor is sweet with a fresh, delicate character. The sample includes two peonies.

New Product: Holy Basil Purple Leaf

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This fine-cut leaf grade of Holy Basil, (aka Tulsi), produces a rich cup with a complex and spicy character. The dominant flavor notes are anise and pepper, with nuances of citrus and cinnamon.

New Product: Holy Basil Green Leaf

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Our green whole-leaf grade of Holy Basil has a mix of bold leaf and stem, consistent with traditional preparations of this remarkable herb. The pleasant infusion has a mild minty taste, with hints of clove and spice.

New Product: Tie-Guan-Yin Special Tribute

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When infused, the olive-green to pale-brown leaves of this tea exude an enticing aroma, with hints of spice and fruit. The golden-ecru cup has a flavor that is smooth and sweet, with a complex finish.

New Product: Creme Caramel

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Black tea from Sri Lanka with a mild, creamy caramel aroma. Pieces of caramel are added to complement this flavorful blend. Enjoyable on cold days, and throughout the seasons. Back in stock!

Two High-Quality China Teas

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We are pleased to be able to offer two very special teas.

The first item is a traditional lightly smoked Bohea style produced in the Tung Mu valley in Fujian Province. The bushes are situated approximately 1000 meters above sea level, and the climate is perfect for the cultivation of tea, with cool evenings, and with heavy fog and misting common. The specialty tea is produced especially for gift giving. This particular style has only about 10 kg produced annually. ZK01 is available in the 10g sample size.

The second offering is a very special competition Tie-Guan-Yin. This top quality tea was produced in XiPing, Anxi county of Fujian province, the original home of Tie-Guan-Yin. This special grade has an annual production of only 50-60 kg per year and has an outstanding floral characteristic only seen in the most high-quality grades of Tie-Guan-Yin. ZO99 is also being offered in 10g sample sizes.

New Product: Green Tea Sampler

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A tin each of the following: Japanese Sencha Special Grade (TJ16), China Young Hyson (ZG10), Dumbara Green Curls (TC36), and China Pi Lo Chun (ZG92).

New Product: Special Edition Bohea Select

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Production of this handcrafted tea requires a rare level of skill. The carefully plucked leaves are bold and have an interesting crepe-like appearance. The cup is very complex, with layers of floral and cocoa notes. The liquor is surprisingly smooth and quite flavorful. Due to the scarcity and price of this tea, we offer only sample sizes of 10 grams and a mini sample of 2 grams (for 1 cup)

New Product: Top Competition Tie-Guan-Yin

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This handmade specialty Oolong is the finest Tie-Guan-Yin we have seen in recent years. The liquor is smooth and sweet, with a complex, orchid-like aroma. Available in very limited quantities.

New Product: Tindharia Estate FTGFOP1 Second Flush (DJ-57)

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Reminiscent of the style produced decades ago, with soft withering and fuller oxidation, this tea has a rich, smooth flavor and a "colory" cup. The cup is balanced with a gentle crispness and mellow finish.

New Product: Season's Pick Tindharia FTGFOP

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A rich, full-bodied tea with excellent aroma, and a surprisingly flavorful cup at a favorable price. We especially enjoy the muscatel notes in the finish.

New Product: Special Purchase Hao-Ya "A" Select

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A generous complement of golden tips sets this stylish selection apart. The flavor has classic burgundy-like Keemun notes, with subtle smokiness and a hint of cocoa. This one comes close to the Hao-Ya "A" Keemun of days past.

New Product: Organic Pu-Erh

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A classic Pu-Erh with characteristic earthy flavor notes. This mellow selection has a smooth quality, no bitterness, and a delicate, sweet aftertaste.

New Product: Organic Yunnan FOP Select

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A classic Yunnan selection with sweet, earthy and fruity characteristics, typical of Congou from this region. The liquor has a complex flavor with light chocolate nuances and a delicate peppery finish.

New Product: Yunnan Tippy Select

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This tippy Yunnan selection has an exceptional leaf style. The flavorful, thick cup is smooth and complex, with classic Yunnan nuances of spice.

New Product: Yunnan Gen Ben Shi

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This bold leaf Yunnan tea yields a dark cup with a bold flavor, gentle spiciness and delicate toasty notes. A classic Yunnan for everyday enjoyment.

New Product: Ceylon Sampler

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A tin (approx 35g) each of the following premium Ceylon teas: Dumbara Green Curls (TC36), Kirkoswald Estate FBOP (TC25), Shawlands Estate FBOP (TC91), and Kenilworth Estate OP (TC85).