They have poetic names like Silver Moon, Red of Africa, Goût Russe Douchka and Sweet Shanghai that express the wide range of exotic flavours available, and they attract an almost religious following among tea gourmets the world over. Amid an economic crisis in which consumers have been cutting down on daily luxuries, gourmet teas are still posting surprisingly strong sales, prompting established brands to eye expansion throughout the world. While the rarest teas, such as yellow teas, can cost upwards of US$3,000 a kilogram, on average most gourmet teas only cost around 30 percent more than standard teas, making them an affordable luxury for many.
The full story is in Prestige Hong Kong's March edition