The Vintage Hills

The Vintage Hill Teas — Loose Leaf Tea & Masala Chai in India

The Vintage Hill Teas is a small-batch Indian tea label working with whole-leaf tea rather than dust and fannings. The range covers single-origin florals (Taiwan osmanthus, Thai jasmine, Persian rose), mint and fruit infusions, caffeine-free blends, and a set of regional masala chais — Royal Bombay, Punjabi, and Bombay Cutting.

How to choose loose leaf tea

• Leaf size tells you the format. Whole leaf brews slowly and can be steeped more than once. CTC and dust brew fast and strong, which is what you want in a milk chai but not in a delicate green.
• Caffeine. Green, oolong, white and black teas all come from Camellia sinensis and contain caffeine. Rose, mint, chamomile and fruit infusions are herbal and caffeine-free — the pack should state which it is.
• Water temperature matters more than steeping time. Roughly 70–80°C for green and white, 85–90°C for oolong, and full boil for black tea and chai. Boiling water on green tea is the usual cause of bitterness.
• Flavoured or botanical. Check whether aroma comes from actual dried petals and spices in the blend or from added flavouring. Both are legitimate; the ingredient list will say.
• Storage. Keep tea in an opaque airtight tin away from spices. Whole leaf holds its aroma for about a year.

All blends here are vegan, and a reusable cotton tea bag and telescopic brass infuser are stocked alongside them if you are moving away from disposable bags.

Browse related ranges: Masala Chai & Tea, Beverages and Lluvia Tea.

Delivered pan-India in 3–5 days.