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:
Gold: Garden to Cup Organics Lemon White Tea
Bronze: 3 Teas Organic Lavender White
Gold: The Tea Spot Sweet Magnolia Green
Silver: Garden to Cup Organics Osmanthus Green
Bronze: Teaja Organic Rose Garden Green Tea
Gold: Garden to Cup Organics Lemon Ginger Yerba Mate
Silver: Teaja Organic Hibiscus Yerba Mata
Gold: Lumbini Tea Exports (Pvt.) Ltd. Lumbini Tea Valley Singharaja Wiry Tips
Silver: Walters Bay Walters Bay FF-1
Gold: Lumbini Tea Exports (Pvt.) Ltd. Lumbini Tea Valley Tipsy Eve
Silver: TeaSource Lumbini Estate FBOPF
Bronze: Garden to Cup Organics Ceylon Special
Gold: Teaja Organic Ceylon Reserve
Silver: Garden to Cup Organics Ceylon Supreme XE
Gold: Teaja Organic Egyptian Chamomile
Silver: Garden to Cup Organics Nile River Valley Chamomile
Gold: Garden to Cup Organics Hibiscus
Silver: Teaja Organic Hibiscus
Gold: TeaSource Shui Mi Xiang (Fragrant Honey Oolong)
Silver: Chazhou Chaoan Lan Hua Xiang Honey Orchid Fragrance
Bronze: MeiMei Fine Teas Floral Shui Xian 2016 Wuyi Rock Oolong
Gold: Onomea Tea Co. Ono Black Tea
Silver: The Great Mississippi Tea Company Mississippi Queen
Gold: Tapestry Tea Dream Tea
Silver: Teaja Organic Zenology
Bronze: Caribbean Cure Ltd. Camomile Serenitea
Gold: Shohokuenchaten Co. Uji Gyokuro
Silver: Teaja Organic Kyokuro Private Reserve
Bronze: Garden to Cup Organics Gyokuro Private Reserve
Gold: Florapharm Tea USA Organic Sencha Nishi
Silver: First Leaves Sencha Fine Loose Leaf Green Tea
Bronze: Teaja Organic Kyoto Sencha Private Reserve
Gold: Florapharm Tea USA Organic Japan Tamaryokucha Gokase
Silver: Xingguo Yi Xiang Yuan Industry Tea Co. Fang Tai Mei White Jade
Bronze: Garden to Cup Organics Bi Lo Chun Private Reserve
Gold: SA Organic Kabuse Cha Sugimoto America
Silver: The Tea House Tamaryoku Cha
Bronze: Japanese Green Tea IN Issaku
Gold: Garden to Cup Organics Ceremonial Matcha Private Reserve
Silver: Shohokuenchaten Uji Matcha Unjonotomo
Bronze: Teaja Organic Ceremonial Matcha Private Reserve
Gold: PANATEA GLOW: Instant Matcha Latte
Silver: Healing Butterfly Earl Grey Matcha
Bronze: Numi Organic Tea Citrus Matcha
Gold: Teaja Organic Lime Raspberry Honeybush
Silver: Pluck Tea Verbana Blues
Bronze: Kai Organics Hibiscus Berry
Gold: Florapharm Tea USA Rose of the Orient
Silver: Kai Organics Maqui Berry Green
Bronze: Garden to Cup Organics Hawaiian Sunset
Gold: Mighty Leaf Coco Chai
Silver: SerendipiTea Cocoa Loco Nut
Bronze: Florpharm Tea USA Tropical Sunrise
Gold: Teaja Organic Detox Blend
Silver: Florapharm Tea USA Herbs for Women Natural
Bronze: The Tea Spot Turmeric Tonic
Silver: Mighty Leaf Golden Dragon Oolong
Bronze: Teaja Organic White Ginger Peach
Bronze: Garden to Cup Organics Jun ShanYinzhen
Bronze: Newby Teas African Pride Heritage Collection
Bronze: Eastsign Foods (Quzhou) Co. Ltd. Eastsign White Tea
Bronze: Teaja Organic Bai Hao Yin Zhen
Silver: Teaja Organic Dragonwell Private Reserve
Silver: Garden to Cup Organics Monkey Private Reserve
Bronze: La Teteria Jin Jun Mei Honey
Silver: Mighty Leaf Genmaicha
Silver: Teavivre Nonpareil Taiwan DaYuLing High Mountain Cha Wang
Silver: Shohokuenchaten Matcha Genmaicha
Silver: Teaja Organic Milk Oolong Private Reserve
Bronze: Garden to Cup Organics Milk Oolong Private Reserve
Silver: Garden to Cup Organics West Coast Mint
Bronze: Teaja Organic P & S Mint
Silver: Teaja Organic Ti Kuan Yin Jade
Bronze: Garden to Cup Organics Ti Kuan Yin Jade Ltd.
Silver: Teaja Organic Ti Kuan Yin Traditional
Bronze: Garden to Cup Organics Ti Kuan Yin Traditional
Silver: Garden to Cup Organics Imperial Darjeeling Reserve
Bronze: Glenburn Tea Direct Glenburn Darjeeling 1st Flush
Silver: Garden to Cup Organics Ceylon Supreme
Bronze: Walters Bay Walters Bay BPS
Silver: Teaja Organic Teaja w/Green Yerba Mate
Bronze: JUMANDIPRO US LLC Waykana Green Guayusa Loose Leaf
Silver: Garden to Cup Organics Lemon Osmanthus Rooibos
Bronze: Chico Chai Golden Turmeric
Silver: Florapharm Tea USA Star Whisper
Bronze: Garden to Cup Organics Lavender Raspberry Honeybush
Judge’s Choice Award: SerendipiTea’s Golden Milk Mix
Silver: Ace Tea Jack of Clubs
Silver: Garden to Cup Organics Anxi Coal Fired Iron Goddess
Silver: Guranse Tea Estate Guranse Tips
Bronze: 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.
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