The 10 Best Loose Leaf Teas

Anyone who likes a flavored cup but finds plain Earl Grey too sharp should start with Harney & Sons Paris. The New York blender mixes black tea and a little oolong with black currant, vanilla, caramel and bergamot, so it smells like dessert and drinks smooth with or without milk. Its signature black tin keeps out light and air. The flavor is sweet and bold, so fans of plain leaf can tire of it.

Vahdam Himalayan Green suits a daily green tea drinker who wants whole leaves rather than the dusty bits found in most bags. The Indian company buys from gardens in the Himalayan foothills and says it packs the leaf within days of picking, in a pouch that zips shut. One pouch makes about 50 cups. The pack suggests boiled water, but green leaf steeped that hot turns bitter, so let the kettle sit a few minutes first.

For a home that goes through several strong cups a day, Davidson's Organics English Breakfast comes in a full pound bag, enough for roughly 200 cups. The malty Assam-based black tea carries a USDA organic seal and comes from a family company that grows much of its own tea in India. It stands up to milk and sugar. A bag that big takes months to finish, so move the leaf into an airtight tin once it's open.

Fans of Japanese green tea get the real thing in Yamasan Kyoto Uji Sencha, a steamed leaf from Uji, the Kyoto district long famous for tea. It carries Japan's government organic seal. The maker suggests water well below boiling and about a minute of steeping, which keeps the cup sweet and savory rather than bitter, and it also cold brews overnight. The pouch is small for the money, so it suits a treat more than a daily pot.

Golden Moon Organic Rooibos is a red bush herb from South Africa's Cederberg mountains, with no caffeine and a gently sweet, nutty taste that makes a good late-night cup. Golden Moon sells it as whole needles in a big bag, with no added flavoring and no tea bags. It brews in boiling water and can sit a long time without turning bitter. Rooibos isn't true tea, so it won't give the bite a black tea drinker expects.

Yorkshire Gold is the richer loose blend from Taylors of Harrogate, the English company behind Yorkshire Tea, and it makes a dark, brisk cup meant for milk. Taylors says to use one rounded teaspoon per person and give it four or five minutes in freshly boiled water. A bag goes a long way for the money, which suits someone who drinks a pot every morning. Taken black, it can taste harsh and drying.

Not sure what you like yet? The Heavenly Tea Leaves Variety Pack puts nine organic teas in small reusable tins, from English breakfast and jasmine green to white peach, peppermint and hibiscus. That spread covers black, green, white and herbal styles, so a few weeks of tasting shows which kind is worth buying in a bigger bag. It also makes a tidy gift. Each tin holds only about ten cups, so the cost per cup runs high.

Anyone who loves the floral pot served at Chinese restaurants should try Tian Hu Shan Jasmine, a green tea scented with jasmine blossoms. The Los Angeles company has sold it in the same orange tin for about 30 years, and one tin lasts months of daily pots. The maker says the perfume comes from real flowers rather than added flavor, and it tastes good iced as well. Like any green, it goes bitter in boiling water.

For a spicy, warming cup with no caffeine, Rishi Turmeric Ginger blends organic ginger and turmeric root with lemongrass, citrus peel and a little licorice. The Milwaukee company buys many of its herbs through direct trade. It takes more work than a quick steep, since Rishi says to simmer it about five minutes to draw out the root flavors. It contains licorice root, so anyone pregnant or on regular medication should ask a doctor before making it a habit.

Tiesta Lavender Chamomile is a soft, flowery evening blend of chamomile, lemongrass, lavender and blue mallow, with no caffeine. The Chicago company packs it loose in a zip pouch, and it brews in hot water in a few minutes or overnight in the fridge for iced tea. It's a cheap first step into loose tea brewing. The pouch makes only about 20 cups, and lavender can taste soapy to some people.