Explorer's Tea Sampler

Orthodox Orange Pekoe grade leaves, dark brown to black with a slight sheen and the occasional golden tip. Larger and more open than most everyday blacks; it steeps a touch more slowly.

A bright and clean aroma of warm malt and a light, honeyed sweetness with a faint citrus lift. Brisk and fresh rather than deep.

Bright golden-amber to light copper, clear and lively. Medium-bodied, smooth and brisk. A full-flavoured and refreshing Ceylon that takes milk well but holds its own black.

Tightly rolled into small, dense pellets in a ball-rolled style. Deep green with a glossy sheen, some stem still attached. Compact and heavy in the hand; the leaves unfurl slowly over several steeps.

Soft and creamy – warm butter, fresh milk, a hint of vanilla over light florals. This buttery note is what gives the tea its "milk" namesake. Lightly oxidised, so sweet and floral rather than roasted.

Bright green-gold, clear and bright. Light to medium body with a notably smooth, almost creamy texture and very low astringency. Naturally sweet and finishing long and gentle.

Roasted stems and twigs rather than leaf – slender, woody fragments in tan to reddish-brown. Loose and low-density in the scoop.

Toasted and nutty up front – roasted grain, chestnut, a hint of caramel. Clean and dry with no grassiness.

Clear amber to light golden-brown. Light-bodied and smooth, with minimal astringency. Toasted, nutty and faintly sweet, finishing clean and woody.

Large dark, twisted leaves in near-black brown with reddish edges, long and open rather than rolled.

Roasted and woody, with an earthy, toasted edge.

Deep amber-brown and clear. Roasted and mineral, with a sweet, woody note, hints of dark stone fruit and a long, dry finish.