Rare and vintage teas

Grand Cru tea and rare tea: what is the difference?

A grand cru tea is not necessarily a rare tea and vice versa. A rare tea is a tea produced in small quantities and therefore difficult to obtain. A grand cru tea comes from a specific cultivation or fermentation method that gives the tea unique properties. For example, Jasmine Dragon Pearl is a grand cru because it is rolled to obtain small characteristic balls. The Darjeeling FTGFOP 1 kings valley first flush organic is also a grand cru tea, as it is from the first plucking. The 5 year old pu erh is also a grand cru because of its unique maturation. Korean tea is a rarity because of its place of production: Jeju Island in Korea. It is a very exclusive black tea.

Is a very rare tea necessarily better?

Rare teas have their own particularities of terroir. They come from places where tea cultivation allows to produce small quantities. They are therefore often teas of exceptional quality that express unique flavors. China produces some of the best teas in the world. Among the black teas of India, Darjeeling and Assam from the first plucking share the spotlight. Korea is not to be outdone with green, black and oolong teas, often grown in unlikely places and offering a unique palette of flavors. In Japan, quality takes precedence over quantity and even the popular Sencha is available as a grand cru green tea. The island of Java produces one of the best oolong teas in the world, grown with spring water and without pesticides, it is labeled organic like all our exceptional teas.