Loose- leaf tea is a tea that doesn’t come pre-packaged in tea bags. The loose-leaf has a unique advantage over the bagged tea as it maintains its purest form and is less processed from picking to steeping. So if you are a health maniac like me and you love tea, maybe its time you tried loose leaf tea.
The loose leaf tea originated from China. It was traded in the regions of the Asia continent and has been a popular household drink for families in South East Asia for more than 5000 years. It has tried the test of time, humans, with various difficulty and more, passing with flying colours.
Read More: Health Benefits of Tea UK
Last summer, I spent the last holiday at my friend’s house. He bought the loose leaf tea and asked me to give it a try. I liked the aroma at once since then. I have become an addict. I have even abandoned the regular tea bags permanently. I have tasted different unique brands of loose leaf tea in the past months, and I will be revealing my findings of each of them so that you too can start enjoying the goodness of loose leaf tea with me.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Best Loose Leaf Tea in the UK
1. Lapsang Souchong Tea Black Smoked Loose Leaf Tea
The leaf has a unique smoky crisp character. It contains a robust flavour, sometimes referred to as tarry. It has an interesting story behind its production. They are thick, glossy black strips and produce a dark red drink with a unique aroma and taste.
Features
- It is made without artificial ingredients.
- It tastes soft and mellow with a sweet after-taste.
2. Oriarm Chinese Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea
This tea originated from China in the 19th century. The tea has this particular feature that makes it appealing to the eyes. It is harvested in the spring and autumn. The process involved in making it is interesting as it’s rolled up into tiny little balls. It also has an interesting legend behind its discovery.
Features
- It has a beautiful thick and creamy texture and a rich texture that linger on the tongue.
- The flavour is enhanced by brewing it multiple times.
3. Peppermint Whole leaf tea
This is one of the most popular loose tea available. There is evidence that suggests it has been used for more than 10000 years. It is highly nutritious and has a rich medicinal value.
Features
- It is caffeine-free
- It’s ideal for infusers.
Read more: Best Teapots with Infusers UK
4. Margaret’s Hope tea black loose leaf
This tea is often referred to as the champagne of tea. It originated from India. The tea is grown in high altitudes and relatively cools the weather. It is available all year round, and it can serve perfectly as a breakfast tea.
Features
- It contains natural caffeine
- It is richly balanced with a fruity body.
- It is one of the most sought after teas in the world.
5. Rose Tea Congou Emperor
Rose tea congou emperor is a young black tea layered five times with rose petals giving it an ethereal rose character. It is scented, and it has been around a very long time. They have produced form recipes that are passed through from generation to generation.
Features
- The tea, when prepared gives a refreshing cleansing flavour.
- It can be taken with sugar and milk.
- It is layered with rose petals to absorb the scent flowers like the traditional method.
6. Taylor of Harrogate store
This tea was created out of necessity giving that the geology of Scotland produces mainly the software that can have a dulling effect on it. It was blended in the most traditional orthodox way with the combination of Assam and African teas. It has an attractive bright colour that makes it full and perfect for serving at breakfast.
Features
- It has an attractive bright colour when poured inside the cup.
- It has a rich, full-bodied tea with a delicious malty flavour.
7. Russian Caravan Tea
As the name suggests, you might believe that it is a native of Russia. Caravan tea is a native of China. It is often described as a tea with wheat, malty and smoky taste. The name “caravan” originates from the 18th-century camel caravans that aided intercontinental tea trade from Asia to Russia.
Features
- It gives a delicate wiry whole leaf look and feels.
- It is suitable for vegans.
- It has high caffeine content.
8. Decaffeinated English Breakfast Tea
A “Ceylon” character of pleasant mild astringency. This is a beautiful tea found in Sri Lanka. It is a tea with a lot of and light finish. The decaffeination process that is used removes the caffeine from the tea leaves; however, the process leaves no chemical residue behind it. It is artificially blended, and they are renowned for producing an unrivalled quality of tea for the past decade.
Features
- It has an attractive bright colour when poured inside the cup.
- It has a rich, full-bodied taste with a delicious malty flavour.
9. Greek Lemon verbena dried leaves
The dried lemon verbena is native to Argentina and Chile. It is commonly found in tropics, and it is grown mainly in Greece, France and North Africa. It has tiny white blossoms and pointed narrow leaves.
Features
- It is supplied in food grade bag.
- It has many medicinal benefits
10. The Tea master loose leaf tea
This is a traditional loose-leaf English breakfast tea. This company sources the most delicate leaves to make the best-brewed tea. So if you are looking for a wholesome cup of tea for breakfast or something to have with biscuits for brunch, then this is for you.
Features.
- It is a 34 x 24 x10 bag of loose leaf tea.
- It weighs 1kg
Buying Guide Best Loose Leaf Tea in the UK
We have at the best loose leaf tea available in the UK. It is pertinent that we now take a look at the factors you have to consider before deciding on the loose leaf tea you will want to buy so that you can buy based on your expectations and not based on what you are presented with.
So what are the primary considerations to follow?
Pay attention to the sturdiness?
When buying a loose-leaf, you have to ensure that its sturdiness is still intact. Sturdiness means the quality of being physically healthy. You have to look at the leaves and ensure they have not crumbled and a careful look at the leaves should reveal all these things in details.
Read reviews from customers.
It is essential to note that, listening to what the manufacturer or brand has to say about its product will not help you make the best buying decisions. Every brand or manufacturer believes they are the best in the business.
The best reviews often come from customers who have made use of the product. They will share their real experiences with you, which will enable you to make an informed decision when buying loose leaf tea. It will give you an objective overview of what you are about to purchase.
Branding and Packaging
This is very important. You should buy your loose tea from a reputable brand that values the services they provide to their customers. The loose leaf tea bag is susceptible to taste change when it is not placed in a favourable environment. It’s essential and necessary that you factor the packaging when making buying decisions so that you don’t regret your choices.
Frequently asked questions [FAQs]
What are the benefits of a loose leaf tea?
The loose-leaf bag has many health benefits. It has a large surface area to which it releases its flavour, unlike the bagged tea that is confined in a space. The loose leaf tea contains high antioxidants; helps provide mental clarity, prevent cardiovascular diseases and help manage weight. It also reliefs stress.
What is the difference between a loose leaf and a bagged tea?
There are various sizes and brands of shoe heel grip in the market. You have to make sure that the one you are going to buy ticks all the boxes before you make a decision. You have to ask questions like: what is the size of my budget? What is the size of the shoe? What is the shape of the shoe like? What are the key features that it possesses? If you can answer these questions, in addition to going through the buying guide, identifying the best shoe heel grip will be very much easier for you.
How do I make a loose leaf tea?
Making loose-leaf is easy, even if you’re doing for the first time.
The process is as follows:
- Place the kettle/pan for heating on the heater
- Get your infuser
III. Add loose tea to the infuser
IV Submerge the infuser into the kettle and boil for 3-5 minutes
V: Add sugar, milk or any other supplement of your choice to taste.
NB: It is essential to note that most brands write down specific steps for
How do I store loose leaf tea?
To preserve your loose leaf tea, you need to keep it in an air-tight container. The container should not come in contact with sunlight as that can hamper the quality of the loose tea. The box should also be made solely for the loose leaf tea as it tends to absorb the smell of its surroundings.
Conclusion
This is the review of the best loose leaf in the UK. I am confident it will help you make the best decision when buying. It would help if you were to give the same level of attention you give to the product list to the buying guide. The buying guide is often more helpful in my opinion as it helps you know the specific needs you should look out for in a product.
This is to ensure that you are not just buying a product for the sake of it; you are purchasing a product because it solves the problem you are trying to solve. Regarding recommendations, I’d choose Green lemon verbena dried leaves as my best budget choice because it provides medicinal benefits at an affordable price. For my best option, I’d pick Lapsang Souchong Tea Black Smoked Loose Leaf Tea , Rose Tea Congou Emperor and Oriarm Chinese Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea due to its soothing taste. I enjoy the sweet and mellow taste it provides.
