La fabrication du thé – Discovering Tea

Tea in Bhutan

31 October 2025

People in Bhutan have always drunk tea brought in from Tibet and China by yak. However, just under twenty years ago, following a visit from a young South Korean agronomist, two large tea plantations were established in the village of Samcholing in central Bhutan. Thanks to this expert’s advice, green tea is now cultivated at altitudes of over 1,800 metres, producing teas that resemble those from South Korea in their smooth, vegetal intensity. A few years later, a Thai enthusiast introduced the production of black and semi-oxidised teas to the region. In Samcholing, all the tea plants are grown from seed, and around forty farmers now belong to the cooperative. Rinchen and her husband Kinzang, who lead the group, dream that the region’s teas will one day rival the finest in the world and that tea plants will gradually cover the surrounding mountain slopes. Not far away, a young woman named Denchen, helped by her mother, sells teas of various colours with the support of rural development charities. The overall volumes are modest: the annual production of these two entities amounts to barely two tonnes. Palais des Thés is proud to be the leading foreign importer and is on a mission to promote Bhutanese tea in France and around the world – a challenge it relishes.

Wonderful encounters

24 October 2025

In Bhutan, most tea comes in the form of dreadful tea bags filled with broken tea leaves. Another option is butter tea, which has an unappetising name but is an interesting drink. It dates back to the time of the caravans, when tea was transported from Tibet on the backs of yaks. It reveals animal notes when brewed. At least this tea tells a story.

In Bhutan, almost nobody knows that tea doesn’t always come from elsewhere and that it is also grown in the Trongsa district in the centre of the country. To reach it, you cross a mountain pass at over 3,000 metres, traverse rice fields and stop for a break outside stunning monasteries. If the opportunity arises, you can have tea with the monks.

Sometimes, you get your hopes up for nothing. You hear about a famous tea and, after driving for hours to meet the producer, discover that she makes a concoction from rowan leaves and other plants with no trace of Camellia sinensis. Had I forgotten to tell my contacts that I meant tea in the strict sense of the word? Sometimes we get carried away and overlook the essentials. Still, when travelling, detours are as important as the destination… They lead to wonderful encounters.

(To be continued.)

Matcha mania

6 June 2025

Matcha has taken social media influencers by storm. Until now, its following was limited to tea enthusiasts and connoisseurs of Japanese tea ceremonies, as well as a few pastry chefs who like to use this green powder in their recipes.
But matcha has suddenly shifted centre stage – or rather, centre screen. It may sometimes look strangely fluorescent, but in a world where the real and virtual are merging, does anyone care? Meanwhile, in Japan, the stones that grind the shade-grown tea leaves into a fine powder turn slowly. There is no guarantee that they will be able to meet this unexpected surge in demand.

The joy of tea

18 October 2024

You can travel the world sourcing, tasting and analysing tea. But it’s not often you get to actually make it – to pick the leaves, roll them in your hands, spread them out to wither, and watch them oxidise until it’s time to dry them. It’s a rare opportunity for a tea connoisseur.

Here in Georgia, Nathalie, our Human Relations Manager, and Charlotte, who runs our Rue Raymond-Losserand store in Paris, are discovering the joys of making tea for themselves.

They tasted it the next day. When this photo was taken, they hadn’t yet realised quite how special the whole experience would be, how proud they would feel. It was the first time they had crafted their own tea. An unforgettable experience.

Shade and green manure

26 January 2024

Tea bushes need light, of course, but they don’t like to be in direct sunlight all day long. They prefer some shade from time to time, especially at lower altitudes where temperatures can climb quickly. So growers plant a light canopy to keep their tea bushes happy and give them some respite. This cover is usually made up of plants from the legume family, whose leaves enrich the soil with nitrogen as they decompose. It’s a kind of green manure, and the tea bushes really appreciate it.

Ship ahoy!

22 December 2023

On a tea plantation, unless you do everything by hand, from toasting the leaves in a wok to drying them (a truly titanic task), you need an engine to power the machinery. Those lucky enough to visit the Badamtam factory in India are in for a surprise. An authentic antique ship’s engine sits at the back of the building, and has been powering the various tea processing machines for years. Today, the engine gleams like a new penny next to a small Hindu temple. The gods watch over it to make sure it runs smoothly.

A Master Tea Sommelier is like a combination of an oenologist, a sommelier and a wine merchant

1 December 2023

What does it mean to be a Master Tea Sommelier? A Master Tea Sommelier is first and foremost an enthusiast and expert who loves to share their knowledge. They train their colleagues, educate their customers and work with Michelin-starred chefs, for example. A Master Tea Sommelier knows their teas like the back of their hand – or tongue! From black and green teas to white, blue-green, yellow and dark teas, they know all the techniques involved in making them. The history of tea, its geography, the grape varieties and cultivation methods, the sensory analysis while tasting, the knowledge and mastery of the objects used to prepare tea – nothing escapes them. They know which tea to pair with which dish, and which tea to use in which recipe. A Master Tea Sommelier is like an oenologist, sommelier and wine merchant all rolled into one. To date, Palais des Thés has awarded 53 Master Tea Sommelier diplomas. One of these passionate enthusiasts may work in your favourite store, so don’t hesitate to ask!

(Photo : Louise Marinig)

Master Tea Sommeliers: a shared passion

24 November 2023

Once a year, Palais des Thés brings together its Master Tea Sommeliers. These connoisseurs represent the highest level of expertise. They have acquired an impressive amount of knowledge and earned this coveted and demanding diploma. We are proud to dedicate a day to these experts, a day of shared and diverse experiences. Together, we taste teas and celebrate a mutual passion.

(Photo: Louise Marinig)

Barley and buckwheat

28 July 2023

There’s more to life than tea. There’s also barley and buckwheat. The seeds are roasted and then infused. It’s delicious hot or cold and has always been popular in Japan. In France, these crops are grown in Brittany, which is good because we don’t have to get it from the other side of the world. In the autumn, I’ll be introducing you to Yoann, a self-described “Breton alternative roaster”. By then, the ripe ears of barley will have been cut and the beautiful buckwheat flowers will have had time to go to seed. I hope you all have a wonderful summer.

Zen garden

19 July 2023

In Japan, a very orderly country, the tea bushes are tended in the neatest rows. They form a kind of Zen garden, and in Kyoto and many other parts of the archipelago, whenever you see them you just want to sit down and take it all in. The aesthetic is captivating.