Georgian Tea

Early in the 20th century, the Soviet Union strove to produce all its tea domestically. Rather than import from China and India, they looked to the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia. For decades, this Georgian tea was excellent, satisfying Russian demand for good tea. But as the Soviet economy faltered in the 1980s, quality suffered. Eventually, after the fall of communism in 1989, Georgia became independent and the tea fields were largely abandoned in favor of importation. Tea bushes turned into wild tea trees. Estates were sold off and forgotten.

But not by everyone. Even as Georgia was plunged into a series of secessionist conflicts and the Russo-Georgian War of 2008, Georgian tea makers kept the tradition going. Some maintained tea fields, while others have reclaimed wild tea forests more recently. We've made those connections and are now proud to offer the country's excellent tea.