China tea

272 China teas from 10 independent UK tea merchants, from £1.50.

China is tea’s birthplace and still its most varied origin. Nearly every style traces back here — delicate green (Longjing/Dragon Well from Zhejiang), fragrant oolong, smoky Lapsang Souchong and malty Keemun from Fujian and Anhui, white teas from Fuding, and aged pu-erh from Yunnan. Harvests run spring through autumn, with the prized “pre-Qingming” first-flush greens picked in early April. For UK buyers, Chinese tea rewards exploring beyond the supermarket: a good Dragon Well is nutty and sweet, a Yunnan Dian Hong black is malty and gentle, and pu-erh offers earthy depth that ages like wine. Look for a named region and picking season on the packet — the better UK merchants always state them.