Global Tea Championship Announces Winners of the Spring Hot Tea Evaluation
Ninety-one Teas Receive GTC Medals; Some Winners Will Be Featured at theNinety-one Teas Receive GTC Medals; Some Winners Will Be Featured at the‘Winners Tasting Circle’ at World Tea Expo, June 12 – 14, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nev.
NEW YORK (Oct. 5, 2017) — The Global Tea Championship (GTC) named the best hot teas (loose leaf) during its September evaluation in Boulder, Colo. The Global Tea Championship is an independent competition that evaluates and distinguishes the highest quality and best tasting specialty teas. The recent Championship evaluated 225 teas in 44 categories, and presented 91 Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.
“The Global Tea Championship in September had a great showing of teas across the categories from all over the globe,” said Scott Svihula, founder of Orlando, Fla.-based Hula Consulting, an independent tea consultancy, and one of the GTC evaluators. “There were some exceptional teas that exemplified the categories and were truly Gold medal worthy. Congratulations to all of the medal winners.”
All Global Tea Championship winners will be featured in an upcoming Global Tea Buyers Guide, which will be distributed digitally worldwide in January 2018. And all winners will have the opportunity to showcase their winning teas at World Tea Expo 2018 in the “Winner’s Tasting Circle” (if they are exhibiting or attending the show) – with a chance to win a People’s Tea Choice Award. World Tea Expo takes place June 12 – 14, 2018 at the Las Vegas Convention Center (with a pre-conference program June 11). See WorldTeaExpo.com.
Fall Hot (Loose Leaf) Tea Class GTC Winners Include:
• Blended WhiteGold: Garden to Cup Organics Lemon White TeaBronze: 3 Teas Organic Lavender White
• Blended GreenGold: The Tea Spot Sweet Magnolia GreenSilver: Garden to Cup Organics Osmanthus GreenBronze: Teaja Organic Rose Garden Green Tea
• Caffeinated Herbal BlendGold: Garden to Cup Organics Lemon Ginger Yerba MateSilver: Teaja Organic Hibiscus Yerba Mata
• Ceylon OpenGold: Lumbini Tea Exports (Pvt.) Ltd. Lumbini Tea Valley Singharaja Wiry TipsSilver: Walters Bay Walters Bay FF-1
• Ceylon LowGold: Lumbini Tea Exports (Pvt.) Ltd. Lumbini Tea Valley Tipsy EveSilver: TeaSource Lumbini Estate FBOPFBronze: Garden to Cup Organics Ceylon Special
• Ceylon HighGold: Teaja Organic Ceylon ReserveSilver: Garden to Cup Organics Ceylon Supreme XE
• Chamomile Gold: Teaja Organic Egyptian ChamomileSilver: Garden to Cup Organics Nile River Valley Chamomile
• Hibiscus Gold: Garden to Cup Organics HibiscusSilver: Teaja Organic Hibiscus
• Dark OolongGold: TeaSource Shui Mi Xiang (Fragrant Honey Oolong)Silver: Chazhou Chaoan Lan Hua Xiang Honey Orchid FragranceBronze: MeiMei Fine Teas Floral Shui Xian 2016 Wuyi Rock Oolong
• USA Grown TeaGold: Onomea Tea Co. Ono Black TeaSilver: The Great Mississippi Tea Company Mississippi Queen
• Sleep/Relax BlendGold: Tapestry Tea Dream TeaSilver: Teaja Organic ZenologyBronze: Caribbean Cure Ltd. Camomile Serenitea
• Gyokuro Gold: Shohokuenchaten Co. Uji GyokuroSilver: Teaja Organic Kyokuro Private ReserveBronze: Garden to Cup Organics Gyokuro Private Reserve
• Sencha Gold: Florapharm Tea USA Organic Sencha NishiSilver: First Leaves Sencha Fine Loose Leaf Green TeaBronze: Teaja Organic Kyoto Sencha Private Reserve
• Pan Fired GreenGold: Florapharm Tea USA Organic Japan Tamaryokucha GokaseSilver: Xingguo Yi Xiang Yuan Industry Tea Co. Fang Tai Mei White JadeBronze: Garden to Cup Organics Bi Lo Chun Private Reserve
• Steamed GreenGold: SA Organic Kabuse Cha Sugimoto AmericaSilver: The Tea House Tamaryoku ChaBronze: Japanese Green Tea IN Issaku
• Matcha StraightGold: Garden to Cup Organics Ceremonial Matcha Private ReserveSilver: Shohokuenchaten Uji Matcha UnjonotomoBronze: Teaja Organic Ceremonial Matcha Private Reserve
• Matcha Blend PowderGold: PANATEA GLOW: Instant Matcha LatteSilver: Healing Butterfly Earl Grey MatchaBronze: Numi Organic Tea Citrus Matcha
• Flavored HerbalGold: Teaja Organic Lime Raspberry HoneybushSilver: Pluck Tea Verbana BluesBronze: Kai Organics Hibiscus Berry
• Flavored GreenGold: Florapharm Tea USA Rose of the OrientSilver: Kai Organics Maqui Berry GreenBronze: Garden to Cup Organics Hawaiian Sunset
• Flavored RooibosGold: Mighty Leaf Coco ChaiSilver: SerendipiTea Cocoa Loco NutBronze: Florpharm Tea USA Tropical Sunrise
• Detox BlendGold: Teaja Organic Detox BlendSilver: Florapharm Tea USA Herbs for Women NaturalBronze: The Tea Spot Turmeric Tonic
• Bai Ho/Oriental BeautySilver: Mighty Leaf Golden Dragon Oolong
• Flavored WhiteBronze: Teaja Organic White Ginger Peach
• Yellow StraightBronze: Garden to Cup Organics Jun ShanYinzhen
• African Black OrthodoxBronze: Newby Teas African Pride Heritage Collection
• Bai Mu DanBronze: Eastsign Foods (Quzhou) Co. Ltd. Eastsign White Tea
• Silver NeedlesBronze: Teaja Organic Bai Hao Yin Zhen
• DragonwellSilver: Teaja Organic Dragonwell Private Reserve
• Golden MonkeySilver: Garden to Cup Organics Monkey Private ReserveBronze: La Teteria Jin Jun Mei Honey
• GenmaichaSilver: Mighty Leaf Genmaicha
• Green OolongSilver: Teavivre Nonpareil Taiwan DaYuLing High Mountain Cha Wang
• Matcha Blend LeavesSilver: Shohokuenchaten Matcha Genmaicha
• Milk OolongSilver: Teaja Organic Milk Oolong Private ReserveBronze: Garden to Cup Organics Milk Oolong Private Reserve
• Mint TeaSilver: Garden to Cup Organics West Coast MintBronze: Teaja Organic P & S Mint
• Ti Kuan Yin (Jade)Silver: Teaja Organic Ti Kuan Yin JadeBronze: Garden to Cup Organics Ti Kuan Yin Jade Ltd.
• Ti Kuan Yin Silver: Teaja Organic Ti Kuan Yin TraditionalBronze: Garden to Cup Organics Ti Kuan Yin Traditional
• Darjeeling 1st FlushSilver: Garden to Cup Organics Imperial Darjeeling ReserveBronze: Glenburn Tea Direct Glenburn Darjeeling 1st Flush
• Ceylon Mid GrownSilver: Garden to Cup Organics Ceylon SupremeBronze: Walters Bay Walters Bay BPS
• Caffeinated Herbal StraightSilver: Teaja Organic Teaja w/Green Yerba MateBronze: JUMANDIPRO US LLC Waykana Green Guayusa Loose Leaf
• Blended RooibosSilver: Garden to Cup Organics Lemon Osmanthus RooibosBronze: Chico Chai Golden Turmeric
• Blended HerbalSilver: Florapharm Tea USA Star WhisperBronze: Garden to Cup Organics Lavender Raspberry HoneybushJudge’s Choice Award: SerendipiTea’s Golden Milk Mix
• Bao ZhongSilver: Ace Tea Jack of Clubs
• Aged Baked/OolongSilver: Garden to Cup Organics Anxi Coal Fired Iron Goddess
• White TeaSilver: Guranse Tea Estate Guranse TipsBronze: Antu Valley Tea White Tea
Thoughts from the GTC Evaluators
Lydia Kung, a Global Tea Championship evaluator, tea buyer and expert with VeriLeaf Fine Teas in Rosemead, Calif., said, “It’s important to bear in mind that the GTC evaluation is less a comparison of one tea vs. the others on the table, but more of an assessment of each tea against the defined standards for the particular category. From an educational standpoint, those who attend next year’s World Tea Expo can stop by the Global Tea Championship Winners’ Circle and sample the winning entries. If they take a moment to review the descriptions for each category and then taste the teas, it can be a rewarding experience, comparing the Gold, Silver and Bronze medal teas in the context of the defined standards.”
Svihula added, “Soon, the 2018 Global Tea Championship enrollment will begin, starting with the first competition in January. The New Year is sure to be even bigger and better than this year, when it comes to tea – and the Global Tea Championship is no exception. We’ve expanded the categories and created a whole new competition for 2018 – Small Batch Iced Tea. This new category will allow those companies that have wanted to enter into the commercial iced tea competition but did not qualify. This competition will focus on teas used to brew iced teas less than a gallon, typically around two quarts. Teas submitted can be a variety of formats from loose, filter pack, single cup, retail pack, home brew, etc. Companies will have the option to have their teas brewed in a Mr. Coffee® Iced Tea Machine, a Takeya® Iced Tea Pitcher, Single Cup Machine or Pitcher Method. This competition will be held in conjunction with the Single Serve Competition. More details to come.”
To learn more about the Global Tea Championship, upcoming evaluations and how to enter, visit TeaChampionship.com or e-mail info@teachampionship.com.
