Buy Whole Leaf Tea not Tea Bags

Whenever we are asked to explain how the Whole Leaf tea is better than tea bags, we do a simple parlour trick. We ask for a tea bag and rip it open and pour out the contents on a plate. On another plate, we place the Whole Leaf tea. The difference is staggering. 

As you can see while the Whole Leaf Tea is made up of actual whole leaves and buds, the tea bag contains tiny, broken leaves and even the dust of tea leaves that are left over after the actual tea production. Obviously, the tea bags are using low quality tea which are cheap to acquire.

At Dorje Teas, we are passionate about tea and take our cup very seriously. Here are some reasons for switching to Whole Leaf Tea -

Know what you are drinking

A lot is hidden inside tea bags because they know no one is going to open the tea bag. It has tiny pieces of tea leaves and even tea dust which is the residue of tea production. In reality, you have no clue of what you are actually drinking.

With Whole Leaf Tea, you can see the whole unbroken leaf, feel it with your fingers, smell the aroma of the tea leaves and then the ultimate taste, of course. It is a complete experience of the tea that you have bought and most importantly, you know exactly what you are drinking.

Layers of real Flavour

Whole Leaf Tea is a world of complex flavours. There is a depth and many layers are added to this flavour with every sip you take. Tea bags seem to make the whole experience too simplistic, thereby missing out on the different nuances of tea. They can seem to be a little bland and one-note. If you love tea and are currently using tea bags, you should definitely try Whole Leaf tea. You are sure to taste the difference.

Tea Brewing

Tea brewing is an art. In fact, all over China and Japan, there are tea ceremonies and they don’t use tea bags. It is only the Whole Leaf Tea that qualifies for these ceremonies.

Tea leaves need space to open out. Loose Leaf Teas, when properly prepared, have plenty of room to expand and result in a lovely, flavourful cup. Since they’re made of higher quality tea leaves, Whole Leaf Teas typically take a bit longer to brew, but it’s a pleasure to watch the leaves slowly unfurl!

Most teabags are packed tight, allowing little room for the tea to expand and release its flavour as it steeps.

Tea is to be enjoyed with all the senses, therefore it falls in the category of slow food. Too much of a hurry will spoil the tea experience.

In fact, in our very own West Bengal, tea brewing has been made into an art. No respectable ‘bhadrolok’ (gentleman) tea drinker will ever use tea bags.

Convenience of brewing

It is true that some years ago, Whole Leaf Tea could be a hassle when compared to Tea Bags. For tea bags all you need was a cup and some hot water. Whereas for loose leaf, there was an additional need for a strainer. However, these days there are many tea pots including the French Press (also known as a Tea Press) that are available which are fitted with a strainer. Alternately, there are small, easy to carry tea infusers which can be used.

Environment Friendly

The tea bag has too much packaging. After you make one cup of tea, you have to throw the tea bag into the trash. Very few tea companies use fully bio-degradable materials for their tea bags. However, Whole Leaf tea is completely compostable and sometimes can be used in the garden for better plant health. Taking that extra moment to clean the infuser means producing less trash.

Romance and Story

Tea is not just any other beverage. It is story. It is the storm that brews in a tea cup. It is also the start of many romances and conversations. Every time, you buy Whole Leaf Tea, you find out about its origin, about the people who plucked the tea, the way it was manufactured and how it reached you. The tea bag is a standardized product which has no time for any stories.

Cost

Many people think that loose leaf tea is automatically more expensive than tea bags. In reality, Whole Leaf Tea is probably more cost efficient and value for money.

One tea bag is good for only one infusion because tea particles will release all their flavour in the first steep. Whole Leaf Tea can be re-steeped many times yielding different flavour profiles. This means the cost per cup will often be less than the price of a tea bag.

What are actually paying for?

When you buy Whole Leaf tea, the packaging cost is 10% of the total Cost of Production. When you buy tea bags, The packaging cost is 80% of the total cost of production. Which means you are for paying more for the packaging, (including stapler pins) than for the actual tea itself.

To summarize, a quick look at this table will help you to understand the difference between Loose Leaf Tea and Tea Bags

Write to me at Editor@Dorje Teas

If you are passionate about tea, join our tea club, click on https://dorjeteas.com/pages/tea-club-subscriptions