Find Quality Rich Medicinal Teas

2023-08-09

This week marked a truly special occasion in the world of tea. For the first time ever, the International Tea Academy Awards ceremony took place – and tea producers, processors and traders

from around the world were celebrated for their outstanding contribution to our industry. A few weeks ago, I wrote about my involvement in the UK Tea Academy and why we wanted to create

the awards – although fine tea was just beginning to get the attention it deserved in the UK, we in the tea world still lacked an official UK-based initiative to celebrate the best teas in the

world – unlike coffee, alcohol and many, many other types of food.

On Thursday, this deficiency was no longer – and we saw the hard work of our organisers, judges, brewers and, of course, our entrants come together in a beautiful celebration of fine

loose leaf teas. All in our partner Fortnum & Mason’s illustrious Drawing Room, on the 4th floor of their flagship 1707 store in Piccadilly. Home of the world-renowned Rare Tea Counter, where

the winners will have their teas showcased and sold to tea connoisseurs who travel far and wide to taste and buy some of the best, rarest teas in the world. So, what did we get up to at the first

ever International Tea Academy Awards?

First up, we welcomed judges, entrants and guests from around the world for a pre-Award drink. There was a buzz in the air, an edge of glitz and glamour – and for me, some pre-show jitters.

After all, it was the culmination of years of planning, months of organising and weeks of intense judging. Next came the Awards Ceremony, hosted by the inimitable Jane Pettigrew, tea expert,

Leafies judge and co-founder of the UK Tea Academy. There were 19 tea categories and six special achievements overall – and our judges were on hand to present the awards. In each category

there were multiple ‘Highly Commended’ and one ‘Gold’ up for grabs – but our judges were tough, and out of over 300 entries, only 28 Highly Commended and 12 Golds were awarded. You’ll be

able to find the full list of winners on The Leafies website, but here were some of the big hitters.

Jane Pettigrew, Leafies judge and co-founder of the UK Tea Academy.

Phyu Thwe founded the Mogok Tea Company to bring a better quality of life to her native region in Myanmar through tea-growing on her family's land. With the help from the Scottish Tea

Factory and Tea consultant Beverly Wainwright – who brought us the superb and 100% Scottish-grown Nine Ladies Dancing – Phyu’s been growing some truly extraordinary teas. She won

Gold for Black Ruby in our Black Natural category and Highly Commended for her green tea Tiny Green Temple. Phyu herself won the Tea for Life Special Award, for her work empowering her

community, regenerating the local community and uplifting the welfare of her tea workers. An incredible achievement. Her acceptance speech was heartfelt and full of emotion as she spoke

about the hardship and trauma her community had gone through as a result of the ongoing civil war in Myanmar – and how tea growing had offered some respite in a region ravaged by conflict.

I spoke to her after the awards about what winning the Leafies meant to her:

“It’s uplifting for the team at home. Mainly because this is the first time ever that black tea’s been made in our particular area that meets international standards. With the help, training and

teaching from the Beverly and Scottish Tea Factory, we’ve been able to produce such high quality tea. It’s such an honour – and such an encouragement for people back home.”