1. Taylors of Harrogate
The top three brands of tea are:
Yorkshire Tea is the UK's favourite brand, with almost a third of respondents in our survey naming it as their favourite brew.
Every May, the Queen holds a garden party at Buckingham Palace. The tea that is served is a long time favorite and delicious medley specially selected for this occasion. Intriguing hints of a high-grown Earl Grey flavored Ceylon effortlessly complement the soft jasmine notes of a China green tea.
Black tea remains the favored hot beverage with tea drinkers in 72% of UK households but Unilever-owed PG Tips [viewed as a commodity blend like Unilever's Lipton Yellow Label] saw a decline in value of 7.2% to $122.7 million (£98.7 million) compared to $134.2 million (£107.9m) in sales of Twinings teas.
Leading tea brands in c-stores and independent grocers in the UK in 2022. Tetley was the leading tea brand in convenience and independent grocery stores in the United Kingdom in 2021. The brand had sales of 10.3 million GBP in that year. In a close second was PG Tips with sales of eight million pounds.
The Brits prefer robust black teas like Earl Grey or English Breakfast. And you may use either tea bags or loose tea; both are perfectly acceptable. If you choose loose tea, you'll need a strainer for your cup or teapot.
The three most important types popular in the UK are: Darjeeling, which comes from Northern India and is a light, delicate tea–perfect for Afternoon Teas. Ceylon Tea is slightly stronger than Darjeeling. It is aromatic with a slightly sharp taste.
Twinings of London Earl Gray Black Tea
As the original creator of Earl Gray — the tea was named after the former British prime minister in 1831 — Twinings has been a favorite of the monarchy for centuries.
Although typically served with milk, it is also common to drink certain varieties black or with lemon. Sugar is a popular addition to any variety. Everyday tea, such as English breakfast tea, served in a mug with milk and sugar is a popular combination.
Yes, Twinings is a popular brand of tea in the United Kingdom (UK).
However, many of us rejoice in daily cups of tea and it is said that King Charles prefers Darjeeling. Twinings is promoting the 2023 First Flush harvest of Darjeeling, grown in West Bengal, India. The flavour is described as floral, fruit aroma and muscatel.
Queen Elizabeth adhered to a daily teatime meal; her preference for delicate sandwiches with the crusts cut off was well-publicized. Her favorite version was reported to be smoked salmon with cream cheese. If the old adage is true, one should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a pauper.
Priced around a whopping $1.2 million/kg, Da-Hong Pao tea is hands down, the most expensive tea in the entire world. This ultra luxurious tea is declared as a national treasure for its rarity. An oolong breed, its record dates back to the Ming Dynasty.
Twining's also holds the title of being the oldest brand of tea in the UK. It was established in 1706 – making it over 300 years old! Twining's also claim to be the inventors of Earl Grey tea. According to their website, Richard Twining created this iconic blend in 1831 for Prime Minister Charles Grey.
Twinings was founded by Thomas Twining, of Painswick, Gloucestershire, England, who opened Britain's first known tea room, at No. 216 Strand, London, in 1706; it still operates today. The firm's logo, created in 1787, is the world's oldest in continuous use.
Our English Tea No. 1 is a fresh and elegant black tea with a subtle hint of bergamot. Blended to give a delicately balanced brew, it's a tea for those who enjoy the finer things in life. Our Tea Masters balance Ceylon, Kenyan and Assam teas for this blend.
The answer is that in the 17th and 18th centuries the china cups tea was served in were so delicate they would crack from the heat of the tea. Milk was added to cool the liquid and stop the cups from cracking. This is why, even today, many English people add milk to their cups BEFORE adding the tea!
These early European cups were very fragile and valuable, and adding hot tea sometimes caused them to crack. Pouring a bit of cold milk to the cups first would temper the cup, and lower the temperature of the tea being added, thus protecting the teacups from cracking.
While it's hard to validate this theory, tea before milk is the preferred pouring order of the British Royal Family, who are likely to take an opportunity to boast their riches. Regardless of its origins, almost all guides and sources now agree that tea should be poured into a cup first and milk (if desired) second.
Five times layered with rose petals. A favourite of Princess Diana.
Queen Elizabeth's favorite tea can be found in your local grocery store or easily ordered on Amazon. Her cup of choice is from British tea maker Twinings, a brand that has been officially serving the royal family since 1837. Find more of the Queen's favorite foods here.
Before you ask, according to her former butler Grant Harold, she's a stickler for tradition. The Queen drinks loose leaf tea, which once it's brewed is poured through a strainer into a bone china cup, before a splash of milk is added. We understand the Queen also enjoys Assam.
After breakfast tea (54%), the most common teas amongst Brits are Earl Grey (18%) and Green tea (18%). In contrast, the country with the most diverse taste in tea is Germany, with seven different teas being drunk by more than a fifth of the population.
It includes tea, scones, jam, clotted cream and fresh strawberries. Morning Tea as it is known to Australian's, is known as “Elevenses” in England. To some, it is even called “second breakfast”. Regardless of what it's called, the meaning is the same; a mid-morning break for refreshments.
The Queen had a cup of breakfast tea and the traditional afternoon tea every day, no matter where she was in the world—and even indulged in sharing a brew with Paddington Bear earlier this year.