Whether you're interested in black tea, green tea, or other teas, here is our guide to choosing quality loose leaf tea.
High quality loose leaf tea is the key to unlocking a whole new world of flavour. Not only is it good for tea lovers searching for the perfect cup of tea, it is the most socially and environmentally responsible way to drink tea. It offers an incredible range of variety—there are over 10,000 varieties in China alone. With so many options, it’s easy to find a tea that suits your taste and mood. We think that makes loose leaf tea a win-win-win for drinkers, producers and the planet, so we're keen to help you find and enjoy it.
What is quality loose leaf tea?
Loose leaf is the best format in which to enjoy premium teas, including the world's finest single garden teas. These unique teas captivate the senses by expressing the individuality of the people, culture, and natural resources that made them. Unlike mass-produced blended teas, which prioritise consistency, single garden teas reflect the distinctive character of the tea garden they come from, carefully cultivated by a tea master.
At JING, our single garden loose leaf teas are meticulously crafted by tea masters from the world’s most historic tea regions.
How to Indicate High Quality Tea
Leaf size
For the highest quality, look for whole-leaf grades. Broken leaves or 'dust' in mass-market teas have lost their oils and aroma and tend to release more bitter-tasting tannins. Whole leaves, on the other hand, retain their natural flavours and are a sign of traditional production methods.
Leaf shape
A uniform leaf shape indicates careful processing. Consistent whole leaves suggest that the tea has been well cared for from picking to packaging, ensuring even flavour extraction.
Colour
Fresh tea leaves are vibrant, and the infusion they produce is almost luminous. If the leaves have faded—such as a green tea turning brown—they may be old and past their prime.
Freshness
Quality loose leaf tea should be packed and sealed at the source to preserve its natural goodness. Conscientious companies use airtight packaging to protect the tea from moisture and light, which can degrade its quality. Store your tea away from heat sources and strong odours to maintain its freshness.
Taste
Ultimately, the best way to gauge the quality of your tea is to taste it. High-quality tea offers clarity of flavour, aromatic complexity, and textural balance that’s hard to match.
Benefits of Loose Leaf Tea
Loose leaf tea has a number of benefits over tea bags. First of all, it requires less processing and significantly less packaging, making it better for the environment. Traditional tea bags have often been sealed using plastic, which makes them tricky to dispose of. While some companies, including JING, have switched to plant-based alternatives like PLA, these still aren't perfect.
Additionally, loose leaf tea is often more cost-effective because you're not paying for extra packaging. The reduced packaging costs are often passed onto the consumer, so you’ll find that loose leaf tea offers better value for money per serving than tea bags. Essentially, you're paying for the tea, not the packaging.
There's something else that's important to mention here. Loose tea sounds like it'll take longer to make and be messy to clean up. As more people are starting to realise, that doesn't have to be the case. Along with offering tasting notes, all of our loose teas come with simple-to-follow instructions that cover the essential amounts of tea, water, and infusion time. You are also in complete control with loose tea: if you want to tweak the amount of tea you use for a stronger or lighter infusion, it's much easier to do that with loose leaves than with tea bags.
Elevate your Loose Leaf Tea Experience
Choosing quality loose leaf tea opens the door to a world of rich, diverse flavours while also supporting sustainable practices that benefit both people and the planet. By following the simple indicators we've outlined—leaf size, shape, colour, freshness, and taste—you can confidently select high-quality teas that deliver exceptional flavour with every cup.
JING Tea has a wide range of loose leaf teas, with our most popular ones being the Organic Jade Sword, Organic Yunnan Breakfast, Red Dragon, and Ali Shan.