Our Tea Process

The higher the mountain slope, the finer the tea

The innate quality of the tea as it grows in the estate garden is a product of the indigenous attributes of the seedling, the soil and climate in which it is grown, the care with which it is tended, and the timing with which it is harvested.

For decades we have worked in close partnership with many estates, gaining a deep understanding of the characteristics of the tea they produce and a detailed insight into the methods they employ. Our commitment to such a close partnership over so many years is part of our investment in the ongoing quality of our tea.

These partnerships allow us to ensure that select parts of certain gardens remain our exclusive preserve. And these partnerships allow us to suggest enhancements – such as the introduction of vacuum packing equipment – to ensure that the tea produced is of the very highest quality.

Every step of the tea’s journey – from cultivation to cup – we test it

The preservation of the tea’s quality over its long and intricate journey from the estate to our hands is dependent upon the continuous care with which it is treated, tested and tasted every step of the way.

Throughout the journey, we not only oversee every process, transportation and storage facility, but also ensure that the tea is tested at every opportunity. We were one of the first to introduce vacuum packing to the suppliers with whom we partner, to ensure the preservation of the tea’s quality right from the garden. Now, over 65% of our tea is treated in this way, more than any other tea company of our scale.

Such investment is just one example of our support for our suppliers, our determination to ensure the quality of our tea, and ultimately our commitment to your enjoyment.

I would not sell anything that I would not drink at home

The pleasure that you get from our tea relies upon the skill with which it is tasted and selected, blended and balanced, to produce a tea with exceptional standards of aroma, colour, flavour and strength.

“I would not sell anything that I would not drink at home,” is our Managing Director’s assurance, a promise that underpins everything that we do. A highly experienced tea taster, he takes an active role in the creative process behind every new blend. His stewardship also ensures that every Ahmad Tea blend, though produced from different flushes in different years, remains faithful to the qualities of its original. He knows that you rely on the consistent aroma, colour, flavour and strength of your favourite blends, just as our reputation relies on your ongoing satisfaction.

That quality and consistency start with our knowledge of the estates with whom we partner. It continues through our care at every step of our selected teas’ journeys. And it culminates in the creation and recreation of each blend according to the palates, skill and experience of the Ahmad Tea artisan tasters, supported by the exhaustive nature of our tasting, selection, blending and testing procedures.

Such skill ensures that our tea is worth the journey – from plantation to infusion – and worthy of your table.