High-end tea brand JING has released a brand new range of teas just in time for Christmas. Our girl Rachael Lindsay tries it out…

As the temperature drops in the UK and autumn creeps in, I am drinking more and more hot tea. A rich and invigorating cup of joe to start the day, a refreshing green tea to break up the afternoon, a soothing camomile before bed. Every moment seems only improved with a hot mug in hand.

I had already heard about JING through its connections to luxury hotels like the Jumeirah group and Michelin-starred restauranteurs such as Heston Blumenthal and Joel Robuchon. So it was a real treat to try out their new Christmas sampler range, which looks set to be a popular Christmas gift this year.

It is called the JING Origins Explorer and includes a selection of five single-origin loose leaf teas that deliver a range of tastes. Also included is a guide filled with stories of origin, and how to get the best from the teas at home.

Having just returned from India, I start by sampling an Organic Darjeeling from the early spring first flush. It is fragrant, sweet and delicate, a nice choice to accompany an afternoon tea. In stark contrast is the other black tea in the selection, the Yunnan Gold from the rich soil of Yunnan province in China. This is a bold, full-flavoured tea, perfect with breakfast to start the day with a punch.

I love green tea so I am excited to try the two in this range: Japanese Sencha and a Chinese Organic Dragon Well Supreme. Fans of Sencha will appreciate this one which is picked in May on the banks of the Sasama River in Shizuoka. It is full of flavour thanks to the volcanic soil in which it is grown, and would make a satisfying after-dinner cup. The Organic Dragon, with its nutty texture, is best savoured alone, harking back to the early days of Chinese green tea cultivation.

My personal favourite in the selection is the Oolong Ali Shan from Taiwan. It is a lovely tea to both drink and watch as the rolled leaves unfurl into majestic flowers. A floral, light tea that can be enjoyed at any time of day, teas from this terroir are famed for their creamy, refreshing character.

An ideal gift for foodies at Christmas, each sample was selected by JING’s Head of Tea, Tom Price, who has spent more than a decade scouring Asia for teas of exceptional quality. The JING website is also a wonder to explore for tea aficionados, with stories of each tea’s origins, how they are sourced and the subtleties in flavour from each terroir.

Check it out and grab your set in time for Christmas at www.jingtea.com.

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