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THE MAGAZINE FROM PALAIS DES THÉS
2025
A warm welcome
Ludovic Denoulet Head of Retail France
Tea leaves develop their complexities of aroma gradually throughout each stage of the production process.
Infusing grains such as barley and buckwheat is a practice that dates back centuries in Asia.
If there is one thing we care deeply about, it is greeting you with a cup of tea whenever you visit one of our stores. Why? Because each of these cups of tea are synonymous with conviviality, the act of sharing and exchanging, smiles and discoveries, and the start of many rich conversations. But perhaps and most importantly, they are about taking the time out for a moment of self-care, whatever the reason for your visit!
Every time you come in store, we want it to be a unique experience. That is why every morning, our tea sommeliers select a new tea that they want you to discover. It enables you to uncover the very best of tea, and for them to share their passion with you.
Our ultimate goal is to give you a taste for tea and guide you wholeheartedly, with generosity and curiosity, in your exploration of the possibilities of tea. And so, throughout France – but also in many other countries too, including most recently Italy – you can drop by to ask us anything, like for more information about the arrival of the latest Grand Cru tea or the producer of your favorite tea, suggestions for tea and food pairings or to simply broaden your tea-tasting horizons – perhaps by trying our new grain-based teas!
And in turn, if we manage to inspire you to welcome in your friends and family with a cup of tea, then mission accomplished!
By Léo Dugué-Perrin
By Laetitia Portois
By Elena Di Benedetto and Camille Lelaurin
By Elena Di Benedetto
CONTRIBUTORS
Léo Dugué-Perrin
Tea Explorer Léo scours tea farms in search of the finest teas. He delights in sharing his finds and talking about all the people he meets during his travels.
Laetitia Portois Laetitia has a penchant for Japanese green teas. She enjoys storytelling and every day turns part of her job into a passion.
Elena Di Benedetto
Elena obtained her master tea sommelier diploma in 2024 and is a fan of Taiwanese oolong teas. She considers every cup to be a source of discovery, whisking her away to faraway lands.
Living the tea experience: a collaborative adventure in Georgia
With La Manufacture, Palais des Thés has created a unique and extraordinary experience enabling our staff to come together several times a year. As a place embracing innovation, “The Pearl of the Caucasus” was the perfect setting for this team adventure, where participants explored a sensorial and expressive approach to learning.
By Léo Dugué-Perrin
It is François-Xavier Delmas, the founder of Palais des Thés and fellow tea explorer with whom I search for the most exquisite teas, who sent me to scout out Georgia. This was in July 2019, three years after a new tea culture had re-emerged in this small country, which has been a tea producer since the beginning of the nineteenth century. Along with neighboring Azerbaijan, Georgia used to supply the majority of the tea consumed in the Soviet Union. However, both saw their industries rapidly decline after the collapse of the USSR. I traveled across countryside depopulated by a dramatic rural exodus. And it was the first time that I had experienced in real time a burgeoning tea industry revival, which left me wanting to be a part of this exciting movement.
Tea bushes beneath the brambles
In Guria, a region bordering the Black Sea, Nika and Baaka are two producers among many who seized the opportunity to make quality tea, when the government launched a state program back in 2018. They took over old, abandoned farmland that was covered in brambles, bringing back to life the tea bushes trapped underneath. When we first met, they produced only one green tea and one black tea. Gradually, they made several other teas, always better, more surprising than the last, reflecting the unbridled creativity that characterizes this country’s industry. The following year, we debuted their first teas in our stores.
A place to live and breathe tea
Every member of staff is invited to La Manufacture, regardless of whether they work in store, in the warehouse or in head office.
In May 2021, when the borders reopened following the Covid pandemic, I played at being tour guide across the Georgian countryside, with François-Xavier Delmas and Frédéric Dieudonné, our CEO. The latter had pitched the idea of a place where all the teams could informally come together for a special tea training program. It would be a place which could accommodate several staff members, where they could discover all the different aspects of tea production, from harvesting and processing to tea tasting. Being geographically and culturally fairly close to France, Georgia appeared the most obvious choice. During my next few visits, I went from being a tea explorer to house hunter, alongside Paul, head of training at the Tea School in Paris. We could not have hoped for better guides than Nika and Baaka. Because our mission was not an easy one: at the first house we visited, the stairs collapsed under
Paul’s feet, the second site was so unfit to imagine building on it, when our producer friends told us about a house once owned by Nika’s grandmother. It was sturdy and overlooking the valley, and after a few project to the layout and renovations, it would be the home of our new venture. In the garden, the tea plants from the Soviet era were growing back under the brambles and ferns, despite being cut back every year. These resilient bushes clearly had not said their final word!
A hands-on approach to learning about tea
My only tea training background is in tea production. When I was eighteen, I learned how to make tea in various tea-producing countries. That is perhaps my “way of tea.” Sensorial and expressive. Free and creative. In recent years, my quest worldwide for new encounters and quality exceptional teas had distanced me from what I love most: touching and working directly with tea leaves. And I had never had the opportunity to transfer this knowledge of what I do, or rather, this way of doing. A hands-on approach to learning about how tea is made, by experiencing and understanding in depth how it is transformed: this is a unique approach in the world that no school or book teaches you! Our publications and the Tea School were already designed to serve an educational purpose beyond compare. Together with our trainers, how could we envision a new way of continuing to pass on our passion for tea? We wanted to go from teaching theory to concrete practice: producing your own tea makes for a better understanding, which in turn enables you to explain to others the steps behind how it is made. Quite simply, it is an emotion- and sensorial-based approach.
A sensorial-led experience
In September we welcomed the very first groups of eight, with participants coming from the company’s different departments and teams, from our stores, the warehouse and head office. Each person experiences tea differently in their individual roles. And most of the people here have only a theoretical knowledge of tea production and it is their first time in a tea-producing country. The few days spent at La Manufacture is going to be a shared, people-focused experience and a first for everyone: that of making tea! Little equipment is needed at this communal manufactory, which features two small rolling machines, a dryer, a wok – a curiosity for the Georgians who had never before seen such a tool – and withering trays, among others.
A few days in the life of a tea maker
We arrive at nightfall to the house in Konchkati to the welcoming sight of a traditional meal of katchapuri (a cheese-filled bread), a classic tomato and cucumber salad seasoned with violet wood sorrel from the garden, and beef ragu. All served with Georgian wines, a source of national pride. We will have to wait for daybreak to discover the view of the lush green valley below. Once the program has been presented, we join the tea pickers from Nika and Bakaa’s tea farms, marveling at their dexterity and expertise as they pluck only the bud and first two leaves. This is everyone’s first contact with the tea plants, the first sensations. These very gardens provide the fresh leaves that we are going to process back at the house.
“We had free rein to test even our craziest ideas. Everything was possible, but we all wanted to make a good tea!”
Medhy, assistant warehouse operations manager
Each year, La Manufacture will welcome around fifty members of staff who will try their hand at making the different colored teas.
The following day, each participant is going to make green tea. Together with Paul, we show them how to “fix” the tea, or “killgreen,” in the wok, the process of stopping the tea leaf oxidation. It requires maintaining a high temperature of up to 250°C, controlling, yet respecting the tea leaves. Fire intimidates some, fascinates others. In a matter of seconds, the tea leaves – or your hands – can burn. You need to listen to the tea leaves: they do not make the same sound at the beginning of the process (as they have a high moisture content) as when they start to dry. The aroma they give off will not be the same either. Their shape will change. All the senses are awakening. Any doubts subside, giving way to the pleasure of performing the skilled movements of an artisan. Questions come thick and fast: “What will happen if I do this? Can I roast them a little longer? Can we use the discarded leaves?” I do not provide an answer to any of these questions. Everyone will find their own, through trial and error. No holds barred or any theory getting in the way. What should we do with that tea leaf? What if we began by smelling and tasting it? At every step, in all its states. That morning, before the tea had been handled, it had an incredibly surprising fresh pea taste. Tomorrow, it would probably have a different flavor. Sitting comfortably in the living room, we drank tea while watching the leaves wilt and dry. Because making tea is also about learning to be patient during the time it takes for each step of the process to be complete. This waiting time is conducive to creativity and therefore to the very essence of the spirit of tea.
A sensorial laboratory
“We’ve become tea artisans in the space of a few days. This fully immersive experience has been a source of emotions and gratitude.”
—Malika, manager of the Frères-Lumière store in Lyon
The next day, our apprentice artisans are going to have a go at making black tea. This is an opportunity to experiment with other elements in the tea processing stages, such as oxidation duration, rolling – hand-rolled or with a machine, rolled tighter or looser – roasting and flavoring.
The tea leaf can be shaped in many different ways, such as rolled into pearls, flattened or twisted.
When it comes to flavoring our teas, I encourage the participants to take a walk through the orchard that borders the house. It is lined with orange trees, lemon trees, mandarin trees, persimmon trees,* and, of course, grape vines, which are everywhere in this country. We are only going to use the citrus fruits this time round. We touch the leaves, we smell them, we let nature inspire us. Ideas brew and flow, nourished by our exchanges. Everything is possible: why not use the leaves whole, or chop them finely, cut them roughly, or mix the essences.
On the last day, once everyone has grasped the principal processes for making green and black teas, the time has come to make a tea from A to Z, all by themselves. While every action (rolling, heating, etc.) seems simple, it is choosing the variable (intensity, duration) which remains difficult to master and predict. Not everyone can be a tea maker! Because creating means experimenting, inventing and making mistakes. Everyone is totally free that day to do whatever they like with their tea, using all sorts of techniques and utensils, such as colanders, hair-dryers, microwaves and even rolling with bottles of tchatcha (a local alcohol). The craziest ideas will lead to some very tasty tea liquors! This is the magic of tea and its alchemy. From these fertile minds a total of nine green teas and just as many black teas were made – all completely different and experimental. We were lucky enough to have Nika and Baaka blind taste them, along with FrançoisXavier, who was passing through Georgia. Their sincere, no-holds-barred curiosity for these “creations” as well as their favorite picks provided the best encouragement.
Making tea requires using your senses, to know when to stop each step of the process.
While most participants knew how to identify what a good tea is according to our company’s standards of excellence, the Georgian experience offered each participant a hands-on, artisanal learning adventure. Like the leaves shaped in our hands, minds too have been transformed. Six times a year, during the seasons when the fresh tea leaves are harvested, Palais des Thés will invite different members of staff to be a part of this immersive educational experience, for an opportunity to learn outside the classroom. •
*Trees native to China, grown for their fruit, the persimmon or kaki.
WHAT MAKES A QUALITY TEA?
Judging the quality of a tea is a tricky exercise. While certain criteria seem evident to us at Palais des Thés, what is considered a “good” tea actually varies from one country and one culture to another, depending on the relationships people have with the drink and the expectations they place on it.
*A
By Laetitia Portois
Achieving optimal growing conditions
Producing a good tea depends on a set of objective criteria related to the climate, the cultivation and the production process of tea. From the offset, when growing tea plants, leaves with promising taste characteristics can be obtained by taking into account several factors. The climate is an essential criteria. For a tea plant to flourish, it needs a temperature between 15-30°C (below this and the plant goes into dormancy), as well as alternating periods of heavy rain and sunny spells. However, the plant prefers indirect light rather than blazing sun.
This brings us to the second key factor: altitude. The tea plant thrives when it grows between 300 and 2,500 meters above sea level. As the air becomes thinner and the atmospheric pressure lowers, the leaves tend to lose more water. As such, young shoots counterbalance this by naturally producing more aromatic essences. Growing tea plants at altitude on sloping hills also provides good rainwater drainage and prevents waterlogging issues that affect roots (oxygen diffuses poorly in waterlogged soils, causing the plant to suffocate).
And finally, soil quality is a major factor for achieving aromatic leaves, and ideally should be well-aerated, acidic and well-drained. Similarly to wine, the notion of terroir is often used in conjunction with tea. As such, each tea plant variety has its own
OFFERING YOU THE BEST OF TEA!
We are committed to offering you teas of exceptional quality with a range of aromatic profiles that reflect our gastronomic heritage. Our rare Grands Crus teas are rare and ephemeral, the result of the alchemy between a tea plant, a terroir and a skilled producer’s artisanal expertise. Our tea explorers travel several months every year in search of these exceptional teas. It is a never-ending quest which enables us to share with you our own vision of what is “good,” with teas unique in character and flavor.
cultivar is a hybrid variety of the tea plant.
specific requirements and it is up to the tea producer to identify the type of cultivar * best suited to the conditions of its environment. For example, small-leaf tea plants withstand harsh winters much better, while large-leaf varieties flourish more in tropical areas. A producer’s expertise, chosen cultivation methods and knowledge are in reality the most determining factors when growing and producing tea.
Challenges in plucking and processing
While all types of tea colors can be made from the same plant, if you want to make a quality tea you need to have an excellent understanding of the freshly-picked leaves and develop the right production process accordingly, in order to reveal its unique character.
Hand-picked leaves a non-negotiable
The tea producer and the production process determine the tea picking standard. This in turn will determine the quality of the tea to be produced. The tea leaves’ structure varies depending on the time of year and their position on the branch or “twig” – differences that create a wide range of crus, each with varying flavor profiles. But above all, a more precise, quality harvest is done by hand (except in Japan, where tea is machine-harvested, as producers have sophisticated, innovative machinery that produces equally precise results). The bud is the most interesting part in terms of aromatic qualities, as this is where a large majority of the nutrients and theine are stored. The further a leaf is away from the bud, the lower its content in essential oils and the tougher it is. As such, extra stages of the production process
IMPERIAL TEA PLUCKING STANDARD
The bud and the first leaf down are plucked. It gets its name from the fact that this plucking standard was once the reserve of the emperor of China.
FINE TEA PLUCKING STANDARD
The bud and the next two leaves are plucked. This is in an excellent quality harvest.
COARSE TEA PLUCKING STANDARD
The bud and the next three leaves are plucked. This is the most common plucking standard. While it results in lower quality teas compared to the other two standards, it does promote better tea plant growth and development.
are required (rolling, oxidation, etc.) to transform the leaves into a delicious tea, as opposed to the buds, which only need to be dried. Furthermore, the tea leaf grade is determined by the bud (see “Tea leaf grading...” p. 17). Tea leaf maturity is another factor to take into account: the older the leaf, the more it loses its aromatic richness. That said, if picked too young and too tender, it is too fragile to withstand the various actions (rolling, twisting, flattening, etc.) necessary to give it its shape and as such, will not result in a “good” tea either.
Leaf-specific production processes
To produce a quality tea, the production process needs to be adapted according to the harvest, which in turn differs depending on the type of color desired. At every stage of the production process, the producer uses all their senses to understand and interact with the freshly-picked leaves. The producer’s skill lies in mastering the level of oxidation in order to achieve the desired tea liquor color and aromatic notes. Each modification can produce a delicious tea or, quite the opposite, a tasteless, insipid one. These artisanal skills and time-honored traditions passed down through generations are essential for producing quality tea. Furthermore, playing around with and fine-tuning these different factors paves the way to creativity, offering us an almost infinite range of possibilities, which is up to us, as tea lovers, to discover, understand and enjoy.
Judging tea quality: a cultural appreciation?
“What makes a good tea?” The answer to this question is subjective and a matter of cultural appreciation. Every country has developed its own taste
Tea is mainly harvested by hand, carefully selected to preserve the quality of the leaves. Only the first leaves after the bud are plucked.
*Umami, commonly translated as “savory,” is one of the five basic tastes, along with sweet, sour, salty and bitter.
for tea according to their culturally constructed expectations and values. Rather than grades, ratings or certification labels, each country’s individual preferences have profoundly influenced the criteria that define what they consider to be a quality tea. Therefore, each country has a different appreciation, relative to its values.
Take Japan, for example, where the quality of a tea is judged on its umami* flavor and the dark green color of the loose tea leaves. A diverse aromatic profile is not necessarily sought after in Japan. The Japanese base their relationship with tea on a pursuit of harmony and a profound respect for nature. Tea preparation techniques such as senchado and cha no yu put into practice the pursuit of these principles. Meanwhile, in France, our gastronomic heritage permeates and influences our judgement (see “Offering you the best of tea!” p. 14). The French consider that a good tea must first and foremost be aromatic, complex and offer a balance of flavors, yet without too much astringency. The English have a penchant for strong black tea served with a splash of milk. In India and Sri Lanka, a tea’s quality is judged by the color of its liquor. It has to be dark, but not cloudy. Tea is then prepared in a large container. In Taiwan, some teas can be sold before they have even been tasted, as the main criteria for a quality tea is the altitude at which the tea plant grows. These are called “high-mountain teas” or gao shan cha To showcase their quality, these exquisite teas are infused multiple times in succession in a small recipient, making for a drinking experience that calls on all the senses. In China, and more specifically in the Yunnan province, a long, lingering finish takes precedence, as this brings a touch of freshness and a pleasant sweetness that is revealed when prepared using the gong fu cha method, which uses a high ratio of leaves to water and multiple short infusions lasting a few seconds.
This prism of taste strongly influences perceptions and beliefs on tea. As such, it is currently difficult to create a single relevant classification to determine the quality of a tea. The importance lies rather in curiosity and a respect for the basic tea preparation principles, to fully appreciate the tea drinking experience and everything that tea can offer us. •
TEA LEAF GRADING AS AN INDICATOR OF QUALITY
Packaged tea often features a myriad of abbreviations. While they may seem hard to decipher at first glance, they do provide valuable information on the tea leaf quality by indicating the grade. Here is a rundown of some of the most common grades: OP (Orange Pekoe) certifies that the tea has been harvested to a fine tea plucking standard.
T for Tippy and F for Finest: the more letters added as a prefix, the higher the quality.
B for Broken and D for Dust: if a B precedes the OP, this indicates broken leaves.
D indicates tea dust.
Broken tea leaves are most commonly found in tea bags sold in Western countries. One of their characteristics is that they instantly impart a dark tea liquor color – yet lack in taste or character. For several decades, brands like Palais des Thés have been offering a wide variety of quality tea bags made using whole tea leaves, which helps to preserve the tea’s aromatic profile.
Offering quality teas: from farm to cup!
Many factors go into producing a quality tea – and the more informed you are, the more you will appreciate your teas. As Lu Yu writes in The Classic of Tea, “Tea has a thousand and one faces. When we understand why a tea is excellent, or why it is mediocre, only then can we appreciate it for its true value.”
Optimal growing conditions
Climate and altitude: the tea plant flourishes when grown between an altitude of 300 to 2,500 meters, and at temperature between 15-30°C. Alternating periods of heavy rains and sunny spells also promotes tea leaf quality.
The right tea plant: the tea producer is responsible for identifying the right type of tea plant best suited to the growing conditions of its environment.
Harvesting
Plucking standard: tea harvested by hand results in a more precise harvest, as the leaves closest to the bud are carefully selected. “Imperial” or “fine” plucking standards (see p. 15) refer to the first leaves on the branch after the bud, which are rich in aromatic compounds that release their flavor when infused.
Soil quality: tea bushes are often planted on hill slopes which provides proper drainage and prevents water logging, which can suffocate the roots. To achieve aromatic leaves, the soil should also be well-aerated and acidic.
The assamica variety has larger, more supple, light-colored leaves.
The leaf: the tea leaf must be kept fully intact. Breaking the leaf or grinding it to a powder destroys all its aromatic characteristics. If handled incorrectly, the resulting tea will be insipid and lacking in character.
The sinensis tea plant has leathery, dark green leaves.
The production process
Leaf-specific: the producer’s skill lies in their understanding of the freshly-picked leaves and the production processes. Mature leaves and high atmospheric humidity are ideal conditions for making a black tea. Dry weather and a bud-only harvest is more suitable for producing white tea.
A highly skilled process: the producer must be involved in every step of the procedure. They must use all five senses to assess the tea leaf to determine when a process is complete (such as drying or oxidation). Every choice they make influences the quality of the resulting tea.
Preparation
Temperature: to truly appreciate every aspect of a tea, it needs to be brewed at the right temperature. Each tea has its own ideal brewing temperature, which is labelled on all our packaging.
Preparation method: gong fu cha, teapot, tea sets… We all have our own preparation preference for enhancing the tea tasting experience: an oolong tea will reveal all its subtleties when made using a gaiwan, while a bancha or a flavored tea will express itself fully in a small teapot.
Brewing time: this depends on the color of the tea. For example, a black tea should be steeped for around four to five minutes. Any longer, and the leaves will release too many tannins, resulting in a dry, rough mouthfeel.
One thousand shades of theine
Theine provokes a lot of debate. Many myths swirl about this stimulant which many drinkers seek, while others look to avoid. Let’s go in search of the truth about theine.
By Elena Di Benedetto and Camille Lelaurin
Tea and theine: similarities in their etymology leaves no doubt about their shared destiny. While tea sometimes gets a bad rap from those who complain that its theine content causes disturbed sleep, the reality of this beverage is much more nuanced.
The basics: what is theine?
Theine and caffeine are often distinguished separately; however, they are one and the same molecule, a chemical compound recognized for its stimulating effect. However, the caffeine present in tea is absorbed more slowly by our body than caffeine from coffee, this is due to the high polyphenol and amino acid content in tea leaves. This is why tea is considered as energizing, while coffee is classified as a stimulant.
Indeed, high tea intake can, in certain cases, disrupt sleep. In fact, theine has an effect on two mechanisms that regulate sleep: the circadian rhythm and sleep pressure. The circadian rhythm orchestrates sleep and wake cycles, which allows you to fall asleep and wake up at regular times from one day to the next. As a stimulant, theine can disrupt falling asleep by keeping our body awake. Meanwhile, sleep pressure (or “sleep drive”) is largely dependent on adenosine, a molecule that promotes deep sleep. Caffeine actually blocks adenosine receptors, disrupting this mechanism and leading to more restless sleep.
However, tea can also be beneficial for sleep thanks to its concentration of L-theanine, an amino acid that enables theine to be absorbed more gradually by our body, and which also relaxes our body by reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Regular tea consumption during the day can therefore help us fall asleep more easily and improve sleep quality. All drinks made from Camellia sinensis contain varying degrees of theine, depending on whether the tea is made from buds, mature leaves or even branches. And while theine is inherent to tea, it is the quantity and how it is absorbed by our body which raise questions.
The tea bud’s hidden power
The theine content of different tea colors is often confused with their aromatic strength, or even the strength of their liquor. As such, it is not uncommon to hear that a tannin-rich black tea would be perfect for helping you wake up in the morning, while a green tea would be lighter and thus more suited to helping you relax. Meanwhile, with its light, delicate taste, white tea would implicitly be put in the category with the lowest theine content.
SHOULD YOU AVOID THEINE?
Fears about caffeine and its well-known effects are nothing new. In the eighteenth century, certain religious communities such as the Mormons advocated abstinence from such “diabolical” substances because of their stimulating effects! In recent years, scientific research has shown that theine is beneficial up to a certain threshold, like in the way that sugar or salt is, for example. The US Food and Drugs Administration recommends that a safe daily intake for a person weighing 50 kg should not exceed 2,000 mg of theine – the equivalent of thirty to fifty cups of tea!
Cold brew tea steeped for an extended period of time helps reduce the amount of theine extracted in the water.
In reality, most of these are baseless myths – and for one principal reason: it is mainly the concentration of buds and not the color that determines a tea’s theine content. While certain black teas, such as those from India and Sri Lanka, are known to be strong, this is not an indicator of theine content. Quite the opposite, as most of these teas are made from relatively broken leaves without buds, which gives them this rich, tannic profile that goes really well served with a splash of milk. While these teas, which are consumed in large volumes in England as tradition dictates, are not necessarily high in theine, they are actually rich in tannins. The latter are cardiac stimulants and thus increase the heart’s activity, making them ideal for in the morning to help you get up and go. But this interpretation does not apply to the entire black tea family: some lesser-known black teas are very rich in theine, as they are made predominantly from buds, such as the Yunnan Buds or first flush Darjeeling teas. There is also a lot of ambivalence surrounding green teas and their stimulant potential. Japan is a shining example: this major green tea-growing country produces both matcha, which is extremely rich in theine as it is made from the entire tea leaf that has been ground into a powder, and bancha, which is made from more mature leaves harvested in summer and autumn and which have a very low theine content! Other “first flush” green teas – those harvested at the beginning of spring – feature a large quantity of buds, making them energy-boosters, whereas those harvested in the late fall feature larger leaves and few or no buds, making them weaker in theine. Whites teas are delicate are prestigious, yet they often carry the rather unfitting image of being weaker in taste and therefore low in theine. However, they actually have the highest concentration of theine due to their high bud content! This is particularly the case for certain unique harvests
made entirely from buds, such as the Silver Tip tea. These teas are dark horses, hiding their game well from those unaware of the tea bud’s power. Regardless of their color, flavored teas are mainly made from a tea base without any buds, for it would be a shame to flavor the most subtly delicate part of tea. As such, flavored teas are often relatively unstimulating, unless they are paired with ingredients such as ginger or tulsi,* or apart from a few rare flavored Grands Crus teas.
Teas low in theine?
People who are highly sensitive to the effects of theine are often advised to drink herbal teas made purely from various plants, spices, flowers and fruits. With not a tea leaf in sight, this makes them theine-free, and so perfect for drinking in the evening.
However, there are many other, lesser-known types of tea that play with the codes and contain very little theine! Take twig teas, for example, which are made from the stems of the tea plant and are often roasted. Known as kukicha in Japan, different variations also exist in Korea and Georgia. Adopting less theine-intensive habits is thus a great way to make use of the whole tea bush (see “Shiraore Kuki Hojicha...” p. 32-33).
Oolong teas are also renowned for their low levels of theine. These partially-oxidized teas are made from large, mature leaves, where lower levels of the molecule are present. The same goes for Pu Erh teas: these fermented teas are also made from larger, mature tea leaves better suited to the compression process, before being fermented for several weeks, months or years. There are so many interesting variations that dispute the most ingrained popular beliefs about theine.
Freshly plucked tea leaves are left to dry in the open air, a process known as withering, before being processed.
*An adaptogen plant also known as holy basil in India.
How to temper theine
Like decaffeinated coffee, there are teas on the market whose theine has been extracted by a chemical process in which the leaves are exposed to solvents for several hours. But if you want to avoid these kinds of teas, you can easily remove the theine from – or decaffeinate – your tea yourself using one of the following methods.
— Prepare as a cold brew: Heat is required to transfer the theine present in the dry tea leaf into the tea liquor when infused. If you brew your tea leaves at room temperature for thirty minutes to an hour, depending on the tea variety and color, the resulting tea liquor is practically theine-free. It can then be drunk cold or at room temperature.
— Throw away the first infusion: While throwing away the tea liquor from a fast, first infusion has long been a popular method, it only reduces the theine level by 5-10 percent. Successive short infusions using the gong fu cha method are a great way of enjoying a tea’s full aromatic profile, while limiting your theine intake. In a similar vein, you can also re-infuse the same leaves in a large volume of water throughout the day: with each successive infusion, the resulting tea liquors will certainly be softer and less full-bodied than the first, but also gradually have a lower theine content. — Increase the infusion time: One final possibility is to increase the concentration of polyphenols present in the liquor. These molecules “coat” the theine, preventing our body from absorbing it rapidly. A mere seven-minute infusion is all it takes for 80 percent of the polyphenols present in a tea leaf to be released. Therefore, the longer the infusion, the less theine absorbed by our body. That said, a tea left to infuse for too long could lead to an imbalance in its sensorial qualities, so this approach is not suited to all teas or indeed all tastes. Polyphenols are responsible for astringency and bitterness, making them a determining factor in the taste of tea.
Theine is multifaceted and its stimulating effects are as much desired as they are undesired. So if you are looking to reduce the theine content of your favorite drink, opt for herbal or theine-free teas, or one of the natural techniques above, so you can enjoy these infused pleasures to your heart’s content. •
GRAIN-BASED TEAS: A THEINE-FREE ALTERNATIVE
Grains work wonders as herbal teas. Either plain on their own or as part of a flavored creation, these teas are perfect any time of day thanks to their malty, smoky and often sweet notes. Some, such as mugicha made from roasted barley, are delicious substitutes for coffee and certain black teas!
Tasting Gumati black tea
Let’s head off to Georgia to discover a rather unusual blended black tea with chocolatey, woody and fruity notes that remind me of a Chinese Keemun or a Korean Jukro. Here is a Grand Cru that I like to pair with any type of sweet treat, and that seemingly whisks you away to the landscape of this tea-producing country that deserves to be better known.
By Elena Di Benedetto
Elena Di Benedetto obtained her master tea sommelier certificate in 2024. An avid tea drinker since her teens, she considers tea to be a gateway for discovery, sharing and self-reflection. When tasting tea, it conjures the imagination, which for her is a key tool for making tea accessible to all.
I know Georgia for its swooping calligraphy and its rich culinary specialties. I also know about it from my friends and their travelers’ tales. But I truly got to know the place as a tea-producing country when I listened to our tea explorers talk about it with such passion and conviction, and by following the developments of La Manufacture, which we built over there (see “Travel Journal” p. 6 sq). However, Georgia used to be a major tea-producing region in the twentieth century, providing the USSR with black tea to be used in samovars all over the country! Tea farms that have long been left abandoned are today experiencing a major revival, culminating in a project that began life in 2016, to bring exquisite and often organic teas, like the Gumati black tea, back into the limelight. So let’s discover this tea together, through the evocative images that it evokes as I savor this tea.
Intertwined, arabesque leaves
When looking at the wonderfully dark and elegantly twisted leaves of this Georgian black tea, I find a certain mystery. Hidden among the leaves of this full-bodied tea, I see a faint shimmer of gold, thanks to the delicate leaf buds present.
My, how skillfully made! You can just sense in the way that this precious harvest has been rolled that such delicate care and attention has gone into the process.
As I inhale deeply the aroma [1] , several images spring to mind. A deliciously sweet bouquet comes forth, evoking notes of both chocolate and jammy fruits. It is like being in a forest, and spotting a warm and welcoming house all alone in the distance, with light beaming from the fire in the hearth. This tea is full of promise, and I am excited to take the time to savor it.
Embrace teatime
I opt to prepare this tea using a gaiwan [2]. I simply could not
1. Nestled among this black tea’s twisted leaves are golden buds.
live without this object, which could be described as a handless cup with a lid, which I half-fill with tea leaves.
A small ceramic object with simple lines, so easy to use, yet so fragile. It is such a simple way to reinfuse tea, one, two, three or even up to six times, to reveal all its hidden secrets. Because with Gumati black tea, each infusion is the opportunity for a story to be told.
The first infusion barely lasts twenty seconds. It reminds me of being in a cozy room which has the lingering aroma of burning incense, and it is late in the day and time for a sweet treat. This tea offers such surprising depth! This first infusion offers up such smoothness, from which I choose to focus on all the layers that unfold on my palate: intense chocolate and woody notes, plus tangy summer berries – one after the other in a beautiful harmony, signaling many promising infusions to come.
Sweet pleasures
During the second infusion, this same character appears, yet the chocolate aroma is pre-eminent. What a delight! It is fun to play around finding a food pairing, mix and matching it with two sweet treats: the first, a 70 percent dark chocolate. The pairing is almost tone on tone, the chocolately aspect becomes even more all-encompassing and this tea suddenly becomes a tea made for sharing, one you could easily imagine sipping during afternoon tea with friends. Next I try it with a slice of toast slathered with cherry jam [3] . What a revelation! If the tart notes match one another, the bread’s toasty tones merge with this tea’s woody, incense aromas. Suddenly, it becomes a tea to be savored for a special moment, early in the morning, when the day belongs to you alone. While I enjoy drinking this exquisite tea at any time of day,
it gives me only one true desire: to whisk off to the tea valleys of western Georgia, to discover the tea craftsmanship enhanced every day with cosmopolitan inspirations, which today enables us to have access to teas of such quality – and of such creativity. •
Cultivar a tea plant from Camellia Sinensis seeds
OriGiN Gumati (Imereti)
BrEWiNG GuiDE
→ Several successive infusions according to gong fu cha (gaiwan)
FOOD PairiNGS
Toast with cherry jam
3. A tea perfect at breakfast time, with cherry jam on toast.
2. The gaiwan is perfect for multiple infusions of the same leaves in quick succession.
Gumati black tea
Cereal bars infused with Sweet grains
Cacao, almonds, buckwheat… The recognizable delicious flavor of Sweet grains can be found in these cereal bars masquerading as energy balls! These no-bake treats are free from refined sugar, offering a naturally sweet energy boost for when you are on the go all day!
Makes ten bars
10 g Sweet grains grain-based tea
10 pitted dates
180 g peanut butter
50 g almonds
80 g toasted buckwheat (kasha)
100 g 70 percent dark chocolate
1. Brew the Sweet grains in 200 ml of water at 90°C for five minutes.
2. Cut the dates into pieces and soak in 100 ml of the tea liquor for ten minutes. Strain, reserving the tea liquor.
3. Mix the peanut butter, roughly chopped almonds and dates in a bowl with 70 g of the toasted buckwheat.
4. Take a financier mold and fill with the mixture, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon.
5. Grind the remaining toasted buckwheat into a fine powder.
6. Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Dip each bar into the melted chocolate, and then into the buckwheat powder. Place on a tray lined with baking paper.
7. Once the chocolate has dried your bars are ready to eat!
TOP TIP
These bars can be kept for one week in an airtight metal tin. Serve with a Sweet grains latte by infusing 5 g of the grainbased tea in a mug of warm almond milk for five minutes.
Mugicha: infusing grains
Barley is one the earliest known grains to be cultivated about ten thousand years ago. Prepared as porridge, flour or even risotto, or used to make beer and whiskey, this grain can be used in a thousand and one ways. And in Japan, it is particularly enjoyed as a tea infusion.
Barley was the main grain produced in ancient Greece and Rome, and was the go-to flour in Europe during the Middle Ages.
The current trend for ancient grains
Introduced to Japan by the Chinese at the beginning of the nineteenth century, this grain was originally the reserve of the emperor and his court. It was custom to infuse a few toasted barley grains in boiling water, a trend enjoyed among imperial palaces. Successive periods of war followed in the Land of the Rising Sun. And at the end of the Edo period, the drink spread more widely within Japanese society. Mugicha (mugi meaning “barley” and cha “tea”) became popular and was sold widely during times of peace, when farmers were able to travel again to bring their harvest to the cities. To quench their thirst, small roadside stalls selling this delicious infusion were set up along the routes leading to markets.
WHAT ABOUT SOBACHA?
“Barley tea” gradually became more popular in cities, with shops selling this drink popping up all over central Tokyo, in neighborhoods like Ueno, Asakusa and Ryogoku. The streets were adorned with lanterns bearing the words mugi yu (mugi meaning “barley” and yu “hot water”) and pop-up outdoor cafés appeared all over the city, where people could enjoy an infusion while socializing late into the night.
Everyday tea
From the countryside to the city, mugicha ended up becoming an everyday staple in Japanese homes. Particularly popular for its thirst-quenching qualities, this roasted barley infusion is often served as an iced tea, because it provides good hydration during the hot and humid summers common in the country. Many families prepare large jugs of tea left to chill in the fridge, ready to drink at any time of day, and it is not
uncommon to see schoolchildren taking a big flask of “barley tea” with them to school. In fact, mugicha is so popular that in Japan it even has its own special day dedicated to the drink, on June 1. This date celebrates when farmers begin the barley harvest, a day that also marks the start of the rainy season.
A roasted grain-based infusion
The barley is traditionally prepared by being carefully roasted in the oven. This temperature is gradually increased up to 300°C, a technique used to achieve the perfect balance between roasted notes and the grain’s pure, natural taste, for a deliciously fragrant yet delicate tea liquor flavor. When drank, the sweet, roasted notes evoke maple syrup. Not only is this naturally theine-free infusion comforting in winter, it is also thirst-quenching in summer, and can be found year-round in our stores. •
The Japanese have a taste for grain-based teas, as they also love sobacha, which is made from toasted buckwheat kernels. Light and smooth in flavor, this “pseudocereal” (buckwheat is not a real cereal but a Polygonaceae, like rhubarb) has been consumed for centuries in Japan. This drink is commonly served when welcoming guests. Along with its buckwheat notes, expect to find deliciously toasty, nutty aromas.
Shiraore Kuki Hojicha roasted twig tea
The Shiraore Kuki Hojicha is a delicious roasted Japanese green tea. Its unusual profile makes for some wonderfully original and mouthwatering tea and food pairings.
A thrifty tea
The Shiraore Kuki Hojicha is a tea like no other: it is made from the stems of the tea plant (kuki ) which are then roasted (hojicha literally means “roasted tea”). The history behind this tea is said to have begun when tea producers in Uji, a city south of Kyoto, came up with the idea of using the tea plant stems to make an affordable tea that would maximize lesser-used parts of the tea plant. Up until then, the best quality leaves were the reserve of teas for the emperor and his court. Later in 1920s Kyoto, tea merchants started to roast tea
at very high temperatures for a few minutes. At that time, twig teas were no exception to the trend, and so the Shiraore Kuki Hojicha was born. Even today, you will find sellers roasting leaves in stores and on markets throughout Japan, the smoke billowing from the oven’s tiny chimney, giving off its heady, fruity, roasted aromas.
Shade-grown twig tea
Unlike most tea-producing countries where tea is harvested by hand, Japanese producers machine-harvest using incredibly precise machinery. However, twig tea is the result of a different pruning practice: between two harvests, the tea plants are cut back to the same level to make the next harvest easier. The leftover pruning cuttings are then sent to the factory, where optical sorting machines with “electronic eyes” separate the stems from the leaves. These stems are then used to make Shiraore Kuki Hojicha. Only stems from shade-grown tea plants are used, whose leaves are used to make shade-grown teas such as kabuse.
Japan is one of the only tea-producing countries to harvest leaves by machine, using specially designed high precision machinery.
What is so special about this tea’s production process is the rather unconventional roasting method applied, which is done like a bancha hojicha. The green stems are twice-roasted very briefly in cylindrical spinning roasters, before being tossed to cool down and stop the roasting process. Roasting causes the Maillard reaction to occur, a chemical reaction that gives the tea its sweet, caramelized notes.
A deliciously comforting tea
With its beautiful mahogany liquor, the Shiraore Kuki Hojicha expresses woody, jammy, toasty notes. These comforting aromas make for the perfect way to start the day, winning over coffee addicts and giving a little kick for when the dark winter nights draw in. Other notable enthusiasts are those
sensitive to theine, because it contains very little, and delicate stomachs, since it has no astringency.
In Japan, Shiraore Kuki Hojicha is often found on the menu in restaurants. It can be served hot in winter or chilled in summer, for a thirst-quenching hit. Its versatility means it is the perfect pairing anywhere on a menu: its understated vegetal and marine notes go perfectly
with fish, while its toasty, vanilla flavors go particularly well with hard cheeses such as Beaufort. And as for dessert, it enhances sweets made with buckwheat or praline. A multifaceted tea for all occasions! •
Training future passionate tea experts
Ever since Palais des Thés was created in 1986, it has been our mission to help as many people as possible discover tea and to share all the secrets of this centuriesold drink. To achieve this goal, in 1999 François-Xavier Delmas and Mathias Minet created the Tea School, a place for knowledge sharing and learning all about tea, from tea culture to tea production and tea tasting.
Every member of staff at Palais des Thés learns a solid foundation of knowledge at this institution, regardless of their job or position within the company. The training received is one-of-a-kind and designed to meet one of the company’s objectives: to build the largest community of tea specialists.
The community of tea sommeliers and master tea sommeliers
This is why Palais des Thés created the tea sommelier certificate. The company currently boasts more than 140 tea sommeliers among its 450 employees. In every store in France, you will be greeted by at least one tea sommelier and sometimes even... a master tea sommelier! Master tea sommeliers (there are around forty of them so far) are holders of an internal diploma that is even more demanding than the tea sommelier certificate. A lot of time and dedication is required to pass this exam, because it involves mastering the technical command of tea, but
also the entire culture that goes with it. “A master tea sommelier is someone for whom tea was a life-changing experience! Apart from receiving specialized professional training, it’s a completely different approach to the world of tea that is built up over the years,” details Yann Sowinski, head of the Tea School. Every year, 5 percent of our workforce prepare to take the exam. These courses have been designed to help enrich the interactions our staff have with customers in store. Each conversation sparked is an opportunity to share a story, a production principle, a tea and food pairing or simply tips on how to prepare a tea. Tea sommeliers provide much more than just in-store advice, for the ambition behind this role is to share with tea lovers everything they have learned during their time at the Tea School.
Knowledge at your service
From clear advice and passionate discussions in store, to writing insightful articles for this magazine, and sharing tips and discoveries about tea, our tea sommeliers’ expertise enriches not only the exchanges with you, but also our daily working lives at the company. Like an expert wine sommelier, our master tea sommeliers are able to talk about each tea in detail: to tell you its history and origin, to offer a complete tea tasting presenting the flavor profile, to suggest food pairings, to use it to make cocktails or even to share the best preparation tips.
Turning a job into a passion
For Oxana Genel, master tea sommelier since 2017 and a Tea School training manager, helping participants prepare for the exam is a great way to transfer knowledge and witness their transformation. “Over the course of the year and as exam
year, the master
time approaches, we definitely notice a change in the participants. Being able to discover a passion for tea, to dedicate themselves to developing such in-depth expertise, it’s a bit like finding their calling.” The course aims to feed everyone’s curiosity and allow participants to take this professional experience and enrich other areas of their everyday lives.
La Manufacture: learning how tea is produced
As part of their training, our teams receive a mix of both theoretical knowledge and practical experience. In 2024, Palais des Thés took things a step further by giving our staff the opportunity at making their very own teas (picking leaves, producing different colored teas) at our very own factory in Georgia. Several training workshops are in the pipeline, and the first took place in September 2024 (see “Travel Journal” p. 6 sq). This innovative initiative is part of Palais des Thés’ desire to open up the world of tea and put theory into practice. “It felt like we spent two weeks there despite it only being three days. It was extremely enriching and rewarding, and we are incredibly proud of the teas we made,” says Charlotte Bouville, manager of the Raymond-Losserand store in Paris. •
Every
tea sommeliers meet for a discovery day, like here at L’Arieulat, a tea farm in the PyréneésOrientales department in France.
Grain-based teas
ORGANIC Mugicha
→ Ref. 4120 – € 13 per 100 g
ORGANIC Sobacha
→ Ref. 4110 – € 13 per 100 g
Over the past few years, grains and cereals have increased in popularity, appearing more often on our plates. While still lesser known in the world of teas, Palais des Thés is shining a spotlight on them with its brandnew collection of grain-based teas, which features two traditional infusions made purely from grains, and three new flavored creations with one or more grain as the main ingredient. Served hot or cold, take a break to enjoy their deliciously comforting, mellow flavor. ORGANIC
ORGANIC Berry fields
→ Ref. 9340 – € 14 per
Grain-based teas metal tin
Fill with your choice of grain-based tea!
V422 – € 6
Grain-based teas mug (37 cl)
N004 – € 19
Bruits de Palais is a Palais des Thés publication
Editorial team
Lucile Block de Friberg, Bénédicte Bortoli, Mathias Minet
Translation and proofreading
Kate Maidens
Art direction and layout
Prototype.paris
Styling
Sarah Vasseghi
Illustrations Sabine Forget Imaging & retouching services
Key Graphic Palais des Thés
All translation, adaptation and reproduction rights in any form are reserved for all countries.
Photo credits
Guillaume Czerw: front cover, p.2, 4, 6; 10-11, 12, 13, 16, 20-21, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39
• Palais des Thés photo library François-Xavier Delmas: p.32-33 • Kenyon Manchego: p.32 • Louise Marinig: p.35
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