Tea is one of the oldest beverages in the world. Originating somewhere around 2700 BC, the creation of tea is attributed to Chinese Emperor Shen Nung, who happened upon the benefits and flavors of tea drinking when leaves from the tree he sat beneath blew into his drinking water. Over the intervening millennia, tea has become the most popular beverage in the world, followed by wine and beer, and is now consumed in almost every country.
There are many different ways to prepare and drink tea, but the most common technique throughout the United States involves the use of teabags, which typically contain dried and shredded leaf.
Although these tea blends may be cost effective and easy to prepare, users of tea bags are missing out on a plethora of different brewing methods and tea blends, and more than 3000 varieties of tea leaves to choose from apart from green or black leaf tea.
Finding a quality supplier of tea, however, can be difficult. Many of the teas that are available in grocery stores are grown using mass-farming techniques that use GMO ingredients or pesticides in their cultivation, harming the flavor profile of the tea.
The production methods used to dry and shred these leaves also use high temperatures, which oxidizes the phytonutrients in the leaf and causes the release of excess tannins.
The most authentic, nutrient rich, and flavorful way to brew tea is not with shredded mass-produced tea leaves, but instead with organic, chemical-free whole leaf blends that aren’t subjected to high temperatures.
It can be hard to find a supplier for this kind of tea, but fortunately Mighty Leaf, an online supplier of organic whole leaf tea blends, offers a diverse range of delicious, hand-crafted natural tea options. In this article, we’ll check out the Mighty Leaf whole leaf range and find out what it offers to help you decide if it’s your cup of tea.
What is Mighty Leaf Tea?
Mighty Leaf Tea is a San Francisco based tea company that was founded by Gary Shinner and Jill Portman. After becoming initiated into the ways of whole leaf oolong tea, Gary and Jill decided to quit their jobs and pursue their passion for tea by opening “Tea & Company”, an intimate tea room cafe, in 1996.
Over time, Jill and Gary found that their passion lay within the creation of organic tea blends, not the preparation of them, and thus closed the doors of Tea & Company in 2000 to launch the Mighty Leaf whole leaf tea range, which now provides artisanal tea blends to Michelin starred restaurants, luxury cruise lines, and five star hotels around the world.
The Mighty Leaf Tea Range
The primary point of difference between Mighty Leaf Tea and other tea brand is their adherence to whole leaf tea blends. Instead of using low-quality shredded tea leaves, the Mighty Leaf range uses only whole-leaf blends that are grown, harvested, and dried naturally.
Mighty Leaf ensure that all of the tea leaves in their range are supplied from ethical fair trade certified tea farms that support local families and communities, and are USDA certified organic.
Tea Bags
The Mighty Leaf Tea Bag selection offers a selection of tea blends in artisanal hand-stitched pouches that are created from 100% natural unbleached cotton, and are extra-large to provide a long steep time. The Mighty Leaf bags are also loose-packed to ensure all of the whole leaf blends inside can steep into a full-bodied, rich cup.
Mighty Leaf offers black, white, and green tea bags, as well as a selection of herbal teas that include Blood Orange & Rooibos, Wild Berry Hibiscus, Chamomile Citrus, Organic Detox Infusion, and Organic African Nectar.
Loose Leaf Tea
The loose leaf tea range offered by Mighty Leaf offers the same natural whole leaf blends that are made available through the tea bag range, with the addition of rare and unique tea leaf blends such as Organic Ancient Trees Pu'er, which is found only in the remote Yunnan province in China.
The Mighty Leaf loose leaf tea range also includes an authentic range of matcha, including Organic Ceremonial Matcha, Organic Spiced Turmeric Matcha, Organic Cocoa Matcha, and Organic Emerald Matcha.
Iced Tea
Mighty Leaf have recently begun offering a completely organic ice tea range that delivers a refreshing and soothing blend of unique tea leaves. The Mighty Leaf Iced Tea range includes traditional offerings such as black and green teas, but also includes fruity blends such as the Ginger Peach Iced Tea, which uses black tea leaves sourced from Sri Lanka combined with organic ginger and natural peach flavors to provide the perfect tea to match a sunny Sunday afternoon.
Teaware
In addition to their extensive range of organic whole leaf tea, Mighty Leaf make a selection of high-quality teaware available via their online store. The Mighty Leaf Teaware range includes cups and mugs, matcha bowls, infuser mugs, teapots, ice tea pitchers, travel accessories, and even authentic matcha accessories like bamboo matcha whisks, bamboo matcha scoops, and milk & matcha frothers.
Mighty Leaf Tea Verdict
The Mighty Leaf range is one of the most luxurious and indulgent ranges of tea available in the world, and is the go-to tea provider chosen by gourmet restaurants and luxury cruise lines.
If you're looking for the highest quality organic whole leaf tea available, Mighty Leaf is the number one provider.
