Want to know the 5 teas to try in 2026?

 

Happy New Year 2026! There are many great teas to try this year. If you have been holding back a bit, it may be time to make a 2026 tea wish list. As a passionate tea nerd and drinker, I am going to share the 5 teas to try in 2026 that were favorites from 2025.

Ready to discover each tea and see where you can buy them? Keep reading and take your first step.

Dive into each review and feel confident choosing which tea to try for yourself today.

I am going to share the 5 best teas I discovered in 2025 that I think you should try in 2026.

5 teas to try in 2026

 

Yunnan “Black Gold Bi Luo Chun” Black Tea

This black tea has become a staple in my tea collection. I always have some on hand, so I have a go-to whenever I want. This is an excellent loose-leaf black tea. This is a great tea for my Yixing Clay tea pot. I typically go with 202 degrees and let it sit for about one minute on the first steep, and then 45 seconds to a minute on subsequent steeps. I get some leather, malt, and must in the sip. It is a medium mouthful with some astringency on the tip of the tongue and cheeks. If you are searching for the best black tea, ‘Black Gold i Luo Chun’ could make it into your top 5 teas list this year.

 

 

Imperial Grade Pure Bud Bi Luo Chun Green Tea

If you are looking at the name of this tea and wondering if the black gold version is connected, it is. Bi Luo Chun loose leaf green tea is the non-oxidized form of this variety. It has a totally different flavor profile. Dry, it has a real floral aroma with a hint of green bean. I prepared this in the gaiwan, at 190 degrees with 30-second steeps. It has a light mouthfeel, with flavors of fresh flowers, wet earth, and a slight milky note. If you want to buy Chinese green tea to add to your top 5 teas list for 2026.

 

 

Zairai Heirloom Hand Roasted Houjicha

This was a special tea and a definite to add to your top 5 teas list if you are into Houjicha. I steeped this in my Kyusu at about 190 degrees for a minute. This tea is handcrafted by a master tea potter, Yoshiyuki Shimizu. He slowly roasts the tea over a clay pan. It has an aroma of grain, light caramel, and straw. I love the color of the tea itself. The taste gives me light straw, toasted almond, and a slight Nori note. It isn’t like traditional Houjicha, which, for me, tends to draw out more of a deep-roasted, light coffee and caramel note. There is very light astringency, and the mouthfeel is light. This tea is currently out of stock, but it’s definitely one you want to sign up for notifications on. You can do that and learn more about this wonderful Houjicha on Kettl’s website.

 

 

Anjali’s Cup Extra Ginger Chai Masala

I haven’t explored Indian tea much for quite some time. I was big into it for my first few years of serious tea drinking, but then I moved on to explore other regions. When I partnered with Anjali from Anjali’s Cup, I was excited to try her tea. She has a unique product and, I think, a brilliant way to give tea drinkers a masala chai experience! The tea is an Assam, produced by the Crush, Tear, Curl (CTC) method. The tea itself had a bit of citrus flavor for me, and the Ginger Chai Masala mix adds the perfect amount of spice. It has a rich, deep flavor. This is a fun way to break into masala chai, and it’s worth considering for your top 5 teas to try in 2026. For a full review, check out my article ‘The Chai Tea Experience By Anjali’s Cup’

 

 

Hatsutsumi Sencha

Probably in my top 3 favorite teas in 2025, Hatsutsumi Sencha offered depth and flavor that is an experience for your taste buds. The flavor is green beans, kelp, veggie broth, and raw pistachios. It’s a medium mouthfeel that coats the mouth; however, you feel the light astringency at the front of the tongue and cheeks. The tea, like many great senchas I have explored, really clings to the water and pushes the flavor as far as it can. I highly recommend making this a part of your top 5 teas to try in 2026. If you are interested in purchasing sencha, check out Kettl’s website. For more sencha reviews, check out my article on Chiyo High Grade Sencha.

There’s no better time than now to start expanding your tea horizons. Make 2026 the year where you break out and bring new tea experiences into your life. My list above is a great starting point for what to check out.

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