An Honest Good, and a Map

to a Richer Life.

“Rather three days without food, than a day without tea.” – Chinese proverb

In 2004, I lost my job at an established bank. I’d had enough of working 12 hour days… and forgetting what the inside of my house looked like. I didn’t know what I wanted to do next, but I did know something was missing from that life.

In my new-found free time, I’d been devouring the stories and history surrounding the alluring, ancient and lush world of tea. My husband, however, drank tea brewed from those sad, little bags that taste like a mixture of cardboard and bark. And yet my books told such a different story. One morning I’d had enough, so I made him a wager. “I am going to go out and get you better tea to drink!”

Little did I know that it would become my life’s passion. On a trip to India for a wedding, we had the good fortune to have a relative give us a very special gift: access to the beautiful and restricted tea gardens of Darjeeling.

We took advantage of the rare opportunity to stay with the estate managers in their homes, and we drank in the idyllic magic of Margaret’s Hope, Caselton and Namring. That is when I found what was missing.

It was tea.

The teas I sampled there were a gateway to a world of flavor, texture and sensuality. True gourmet tea is everything that breakfast bags are not. The flavors, stories and experience of the teas I tasted in Darjeeling (and then from all over the world) opened up avenues that have deeply enriched my life.

I became a researcher and a student of the art and the science of tea, and started my business The Language of the Leaf in 2005. We are very good at what we do, selling gourmet teas, sourced from the most prestigious tea gardens around the world.

But the more I became “steeped” in a deeper understanding of tea, the clearer it was to me that tea is not just a drink, but an experience.

And… it’s an experience that people will seek out to enjoy.

Tea is simple and luxurious. Cultures the world over recognize the consumption of tea as a celebration of friendship, community and connection.

Our customers know that we work closely with experienced blenders to create and offer a delicious selection of teas and herbals, using only the finest and most natural ingredients. Language of the Leaf’s exciting range of fresh teas and unique herbals offer an inspiring and exotic interplay of tastes and aromas.

Unlike the store and franchise brands, Language of the Leaf creates only 100% natural teas, from ingredients grown in pristine, unpolluted areas. The blending, packaging and the accessories ensure Language of the Leaf’s teas deliver an experience, not just a product. 

And we’ve made online ordering a breeze. With our simple order process and quick delivery, the hardest part is restraining from boiling the kettle while you wait for your tea order to arrive. Whether you’re a first time purchaser or a return customer, Language of the Leaf gives you a reason to look forward to getting mail again.