International Tea Farms Alliance

Some time ago I received a package from ITFA that included four teas from Taiwan.

The ITFA was started by farmers at Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantation with support from tea farmers in Japan, Indonesia, India, Hawaii and Korea.  The organization was launched at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas last June.  The main objective is to bring tea farmers and consumers closer together using the web, trade shows, conferences, etc.

The Global Tea Tasters Club is a remarkable resource for the tea enthusiast.  Not only do you have the opportunity to enjoy wonderful teas from several tea growing regions, but you obtain a wealth of knowledge about the tea farmers and their operations.

There were several pages of information with lots of interesting facts and photos about the history of Taiwanese tea, the farms and the growers.

The tea itself was well packaged, mostly using the vacuum pack method which really compacts the tea leaves.  The tea itself is very fresh and full of flavor.  One of my favorites is the Ruby Black Tea  from Yuan Shiang farm that I’ve been enjoying as my morning brew.  It’s a pleasure sampling the oolongs too and learning how the degree of fermentation or growing altitude affects the flavor of these teas.

Be sure to check out the interesting ITFA website and their Global Tea Tasters Club.