NEW YORK, U.S. — The Global Tea Championship (GTC) presented six Gold, 19 Silver and 32 Bronze medals to the best, premium hot loose-leaf teas in various categories from around the world. The Championship, which is an independent competition that evaluates and distinguishes the highest quality and best tasting specialty teas, took place Feb. 23 – 24 in Boulder, Colo. at Informa Exhibitions.
Three judges tasted and evaluated all of the teas, including: Lydia Kung, importer/exporter and expert with VeriLeaf LLC in Rosemead, Calif.; Gilbert Kendzior, owner of All Points Tea Consulting LLC in Willmington, N.C.; and Rob McCaleb, founder and president of the Herb Research Foundation in Boulder, Colo.
“An event like the Global Tea Championship does more than bestow recognition to prize-worthy teas,” said Kung. “It is a service to the specialty tea industry by allowing a wider audience and by helping establish standards of excellence. One exciting new category, for which we hope to see more entries in the future, is the Unique/Open class. This is a wonderful opportunity for entrants to draw attention to teas that point to new trends for the industry.”
The 2019 Global Tea Championship Hot Loose-Leaf Tea winners include:
Loose Assam:
—Amarawati Tea Co. LTD, Halmari – GTGFOP1 CL (Gold)
—Chota Tingrai Tea Estate, Chota Tingrai Tea Estate GTGFOP1 (Silver)
—Newby Teas UK, Rare Assam Gourmet Caddy (Bronze)
Loose / Black Blended:
—Udyan Tea, Ayurveda Tea (Bronze)
Loose / Black Tea (Machine, CTC):
—Amarawati Tea Co. LTD, Halmari BOP (Silver)
—Florapharm Tea USA, Black Tea Assam BPS Hatimara (Bronze)
Loose / Black Tea (Orthodox):
—Newby Teas UK, Mount Kan-Junga Heritage Caddy (Silver)
—TeaSource LLC, Wild Mountain Yunnan (Bronze)
Loose / Breakfast Blend:
—Vahdam Teas Global, Inc., Vahdam Teas Global, Inc. (Gold)
—Lumbini Tea Valley, Tipsy Eve (Silver)
—Newby Teas UK, Maharaja’s Breakfast (Bronze)
Loose / Chai:
—Pure Ground Ingredients, Organic Chai Blend (Silver)
—Marathon Tea & Coffee Distribution, LA’s Flavor Tea of the Day (Bronze)
Loose / Darjeeling 2nd:
—Vahdam Teas Global, Inc., Darjeeling Summer Gold Second Flush Black Tea (Gold)
Loose / Dark Oolong:
—TeaSource LLC, Rou Gui (Silver)
—Newby Teas UK, Star Ruby (Bronze)
Loose / Earl Grey:
—Florapharm Tea USA, Organic Earl Grey (Silver)
—Newby Teas UK, Loose Leaf Earl Grey (Bronze)
Loose / Flavored Black:
—Newby Teas UK, Exotic Earl Grey (Bronze)
Loose / Blended Green:
—Newby Teas UK, Jasmine Rose Garden (Bronze)
Loose / Flavored Green:
—The White Heron Tea & Gifts, Luscious Loquat (Silver)
—Newby Teas UK, Loose Leaf Earl Green (Bronze)
Loose / Jasmine Open:
—Newby Teas UK, Supreme Jasmine Gourmet Caddy (Bronze)
Loose / Jasmine Pearl:
—Newby Teas UK, Loose Leaf Jasmine Pearls (Silver)
Loose / Moroccan Mint:
—Newby Teas UK, Moroccan Mint Heritage Carton (Bronze)
Loose / Flavored Oolong:
—Florapharm Tea USA, American Cheesecake (Bronze)
Loose / Puerh Cooked:
—Meimei Fine Teas, 2004 Bliss Cooked Shu Pu-erh Cake (Gold)
Loose / Puerh Raw:
—The Tea Spot, Wild Harvest Green Pu’erh (Silver)
Loose / White:
—Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company Private Ltd., Ripple White Tea (Silver)
—Loose / White – Lumbini Tea Valley, Silver Needles (Bronze)
Loose / Unique:
—Lumbini Tea Valley, Singharaja Wirytips (Gold)
—Glendale Estate Limited, Glendale Twirl (Silver)
—Florapharm Tea USA, Organic Oolong Tea Sticky Rice Oolong (Bronze)
Single Serve / Black Flavored:
—Teatra, SPC, Young Grey (Bronze)
Single Serve / Black SO:
—Crystal Geyser Water Company, Tejava Original Black Pyramid Tea Bag (Silver)
Single Serve / Breakfast Blend:
—Farmer Brothers – Artisan Collection Organic English Breakfast (Gold)
—Newby Teas UK, English Breakfast Classic Tea Bag (Silver)
—Shangri La Tea Co., Organic English Breakfast (Bronze)
Single Serve / Green Blended:
—Newby Teas UK, Jasmine Princess Silken Pyramids (Silver)
Single Serve / Green Flavored:
—Teatra, SPC, Fruity Hadong (Bronze)
Single Serve / Green Pan Fired:
—Newby Teas UK, Hunan Green Silken Pyramids (Silver)
Single Serve / Green Steamed:
—The Tea Spot, Japanese Orchid Green (Silver)
Single Serve / Herbal Blended:
—Farmer Brothers, Artisan Collection Mint Mosaic (Bronze)
Single Serve / Herbal:
—Avocado Leaf Tea, Avocado Leaf Tea (Bronze)
Single Serve / Herbal Flavored:
—Florapharm Tea USA, Teabreak Lemongrass Vanilla Herbal Infusion (Bronze)
Single Serve / Matcha Blended:
—Farmer Brothers, Artisan Collection Sencha with Matcha (Bronze)
Single Serve / Blended Oolong:
—Tea Forte, Strawberry Hibiscus (Bronze)
Single Serve / Puerh Dark:
—Innoss Technology, 80’s Aged Pu-erh Fermented Tea (Bronze)
Single Serve / Rooibos Blended:
—Cederberg Tea Company, Rooibos + Bourbon Vanilla (Silver)
Single Serve / Rooibos Flavored:
—Farmer Brothers, Farmer Brothers Premium Orange Bliss (Bronze)
Single Serve / White Flavored:
—CreighTEAve, B-612 (Bronze)
Single Serve / Blended White:
—Vahdam Teas Global, Inc., Imperial Himalayan White Tea (Silver)
—Rolling Leaf LLC, Dawn (Bronze)
Cup / Black SO:
—Crystal Geyser Water Company, Tejava Original Black Tea Pod (Bronze)
Instant / Flavored Green:
—Cusa Tea, Peach Green Tea (Bronze)
Iced / Flavored Black:
—Tapestry Tea Company, Botanical Breeze Iced Tea (Bronze)
Iced / Herbal Flavored:
—Kai Organic Tea, Crimson Tropical (Bronze)
All of the recent winners will have the opportunity to showcase their winning teas at World Tea Expo 2019 in the “Winner’s Tasting Circle” (if they are exhibiting or attending the show) — with a chance to win a People’s Tea Choice Award. World Tea Expo takes place June 11 – 13, 2019 at the Las Vegas Convention Center (with a pre-conference program June 10). See http://worldteaexpo.com (#WTE19).
Wilbur Curtis , a leading manufacturer of tea brewers and accessories, was the official equipment supplier and brewing host for the 2019 GTC Fall Hot Loose-leaf Tea Competition. Cirqua was the official water sponsor.
For more information about the Global Tea Championship and upcoming evaluations, or to view past winners, visit http://www.teachampionship.com . To inquire about entering a competition, e-mail info@teachampionship.com .
About Informa Exhibitions
Informa Exhibitions, the global exhibitions division of Informa PLC, enables communities across the globe to engage, experience and do business by providing them with powerful platforms to connect across key regions and market verticals. Industry insight, coupled with an innovative and customer first approach, provides Informa Exhibitions’ customers and partners with the opportunity to create business advantage and access markets, both digitally and face-to-face, 365 days of the year.
