Seasonal Tea Calendar
Tea is seasonal. Discover which teas to drink - and which are being harvested - at any time of year.
Spring - March – May
The most celebrated season in tea. First flushes emerge after winter dormancy, carrying the highest concentration of amino acids and the most delicate, complex flavors of the year.
Fresh, vibrant, and fleeting - spring teas reward those who seek them early.
Harvests this season
- Japan: Shincha season begins late April - first-harvest sencha at its peak freshness
- China: Pre-Qingming (before April 5) Dragon Well commands the highest prices
- Darjeeling: First flush picking starts mid-March at higher elevations
- Fujian: Silver Needle buds are plucked in a narrow 2-week window
Teas to drink
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Shincha
Japan's prized first-harvest tea, available only in late April–May. The freshest, most vibrant sencha of the year.
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Dragon Well (Pre-Qingming)
The most prized Dragon Well is picked before the Qingming festival in early April - sweet, tender, and exceptionally smooth.
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Biluochun
Tiny spiral leaves harvested among fruit orchards in early spring, carrying subtle fruity aromatics from the blossoms.
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Anji Bai Cha
This albino cultivar must be picked in early spring when leaves are still pale and amino acid levels peak.
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First Flush Darjeeling
The 'Champagne of teas' - spring's first picking from the Himalayan foothills, bright, muscatel, and floral.
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Silver Needle
The most delicate white tea, made from only spring buds covered in silvery down. Subtly sweet and ethereal.
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Gyokuro
Shade-grown from the first spring harvest - the deepest umami and sweetest character of any Japanese green tea.
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White Peony
Spring-harvested buds and young leaves yield a fuller-bodied white tea with floral, hay-like sweetness.
Summer - June – August
Heat calls for cooling, refreshing teas. While summer harvests produce bolder, more astringent leaves, this is also the season for cold brewing and light, hydrating infusions.
Cool, clean, and refreshing - teas that quench and revive.
Harvests this season
- Darjeeling: Second flush (June–July) yields the prized muscatel character
- Fujian: Jasmine blossoms peak in July - the scenting season for jasmine teas
- Taiwan: Oriental Beauty's leafhopper-bitten leaves are harvested June–July
Teas to drink
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Sencha (Cold Brew)
Cold-brewed overnight, sencha becomes silky smooth with amplified sweetness and zero bitterness - the perfect summer drink.
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Jasmine Pearl
Scented with summer jasmine blossoms - gorgeous iced or cold-brewed, with a naturally sweet, floral lift.
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Second Flush Darjeeling
Summer's fuller, more muscatel Darjeeling - bolder than first flush, with rich stone-fruit notes.
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Dong Ding Oolong
Medium-roasted Taiwanese oolong that's beautifully refreshing when brewed gongfu style and served slightly cooled.
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Hojicha
Roasted and low in caffeine - surprisingly refreshing when iced, with caramel and toasted grain notes.
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Kukicha
Japanese twig tea, naturally low in caffeine and wonderfully creamy when cold-brewed.
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Bai Mu Dan
White tea's gentle character shines when cold-brewed in summer - subtle, sweet, and deeply hydrating.
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Genmaicha
Toasted rice and green tea, delightful iced - nutty, savory, and light enough for hot days.
Autumn - September – November
The season of depth and complexity. Cooler weather brings out richer, more contemplative teas. Autumn harvests of oolong and pu-erh are highly prized for their mature, layered character.
Warm, contemplative, and layered - teas for slower, cooler days.
Harvests this season
- Anxi: Autumn Tieguanyin (Sept–Oct) is often preferred over spring for its deeper fragrance
- Wuyi: Rock oolongs finish their charcoal roasting in late summer for autumn release
- Taiwan: Ali Shan and Li Shan high-mountain oolongs have prized autumn harvests
- Yunnan: Autumn pu-erh maocha is harvested - sweeter and less bitter than spring
Teas to drink
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Tieguanyin
Autumn Tieguanyin is often preferred over spring - the cooler weather intensifies its orchid fragrance and mineral depth.
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Da Hong Pao
The legendary Wuyi rock tea - roasted, mineral, and deeply warming. Perfect as autumn chill sets in.
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Ripe Pu-erh
Earthy, smooth, and warming - shou pu-erh's deep, grounding character suits the introspective mood of autumn.
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Ali Shan Oolong
High-mountain Taiwanese oolong harvested in autumn - creamy, floral, and with exceptional lingering sweetness.
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Oriental Beauty
Bug-bitten summer leaves produce a tea with honey-muscatel notes that feel perfect as temperatures drop.
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Keemun
China's most refined black tea - cocoa, dried fruit, and a hint of smokiness for crisp autumn mornings.
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Ya Shi Xiang (Duck Shit Aroma)
A Phoenix Dan Cong with intense stone-fruit and floral layers - complex and rewarding in cooler weather.
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Golden Monkey
Smooth, malty, and honeyed - a warming black tea that bridges autumn into winter.
Winter - December – February
The season for deep warmth and comfort. No teas are harvested, but this is when aged, roasted, and heavily oxidized teas truly shine - their body and richness feel essential on cold days.
Deep, warming, and restorative - teas that comfort from the inside.
Harvests this season
- Worldwide: No major harvests - the tea plant rests, building energy for spring
- Yunnan: Pu-erh cakes from earlier harvests continue aging in storage
Teas to drink
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Aged Raw Pu-erh
Years of aging transform sheng pu-erh into something deeply complex - dried fruit, camphor, and a warming qi that radiates.
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Ripe Pu-erh
Dense, earthy, and velvety smooth. Shou pu-erh is liquid warmth - the ultimate cold-weather tea.
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Da Hong Pao
Heavily roasted Wuyi oolong with charcoal warmth, dried fruit, and mineral depth - a fireplace in a cup.
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Lapsang Souchong
Pine-smoked black tea from the Wuyi Mountains - campfire aromatics and a bold, warming character.
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Liu Bao
Aged Guangxi dark tea with betel nut and woody notes - deeply warming and traditionally valued for cold months.
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Hojicha
The toasty, caramel warmth of roasted Japanese green tea feels like a warm blanket. Low caffeine for evening comfort.
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Assam
Full-bodied and malty - the backbone of breakfast blends, perfect with milk on dark winter mornings.
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Matcha
A thick, frothy bowl of matcha delivers sustained warmth and calm energy through the shortest days.