The World Tea Expo took place from June 13 to 15 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and crowned the winners of the People’s Tea Choice Awards. The expo pitted teas that had already received top honors in their categories during the year against one another to face the ultimate test: the people. Expo attendees cast their votes to name a single winner in the following categories: ready to drink, hot black tea, hot green tea, hot dark/pu-erh, hot herbal, foodservice iced tea, and single-serve hot tea. And the winners are…
People voting on green teas at the World Tea Expo’s Winners Tasting Circle, photo by Beth Dobos, via World Tea News
BEST READY TO DRINK:
TRY MY T www.trymyt.com
“A fresh brewed black tea with a unique blend of natural fruit juices, agave nectar and a hint of mint.”
BEST HOT BLACK TEA:
Lumbini Tea’s Sinharaja Wiry Tips (FBOPF* Extra Special) | www.lumbinitea.com
*Finest Broken Orange Pekoe Flowery
BEST HOT GREEN TEA:
Sugimoto America’s Hoji Cha | sugimotousa.com/catalog.pdf
BEST HOT WHITE TEA
Glenburn Tea Direct’s Darjeeling Silver Needle | www.glenburnfinetea.com
“Rare, delicate, creamy white tea made from only the young, tender buds.”
BEST HOT DARK/PU-ERH TEA
Dethlefsen & Balk, Inc.’s Pu Erh Pistachio | www.dethlefsen-balk.us
BEST HOT HERBAL TEA
World Flavorz Spice & Tea Co.’s Lavender Peach | wholesale.worldflavorz.com
“Lavender Peace Tea is a really delicate tea that is extremely pleasurable to the palette. You taste the lavender with the rose in the background commingling with the peach to deliver such a delightful tea.”
BEST FOODSERVICE ICED TEA:
Teasource LLC’s Minnesota N’Ice Tea | www.teasource.com
“It’s the perfect fishing buddy: sweet and silent. Tastes like oranges with a floral touch and pairs nicely with a cabin at the lake. Contains black tea, jasmine green tea, flavor, lemongrass, rose petals, cornflower.”
BEST SINGLE SERVE HOT TEA:
Zealong Tea Estate’s Zealong Black | zealong.com
“Enjoy the rich taste of Zealong Organic Black tea in a convenient way and treat yourself to a full-bodied, deep-amber liquor with a sweet, honeyed undertone and smooth, silky finish.”
