High Mountain Tea

"High mountain" is typically used as a marketing term to make tea sound higher quality. In reality, there is a well-accepted definition of high mountain tea. High mountain teas are grown at over five thousand feet of elevation.

Growing tea at high altitudes provides a number of benefits. The harsher growing conditions lead to richer flavors. Moreover, higher altitudes means fewer bugs. Fewer bugs lead to less damage to the tea leaves prior to picking and eliminate the need for farmers to use pesticides.

Some teas that are grown at high altitudes are not typically advertised as high mountain. Here, we include all teas grown at over five thousand feet of elevation, even though this is not standard practice.