Top spring teas named in North American Tea Championship
The North American Tea Championship, the only independent and professionally-judged tea competition in the US, announced winners in its annual Hot Tea Class. The contest identified the highest quality and best tasting teas from the spring harvest of 2011. QTrade Teas & Herbs took home a total of seven awards, which included three first-place honors. Other first-place winners include Dethlefsen & Balk, Tao Tea Leaf and Teas Etc. The highest-rated tea in 2011 was Sri Lankan Silver Beauty, also from QTrade. According to judges, the submissions were fewer, but of higher quality than last year. Generally, the Black Tea category was described as the most modest, due to dry weather conditions in many growing areas, whereas the Flavor and Herbal Blend categories were the most exciting this year.