The Leafies 2024: celebrating excellence at the International Tea Awards
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko
The Leafies International Tea Awards have announced the winners of the 2024 competition that celebrates the world’s finest teas. Nearly 400 teas from across the globe were submitted for assessment and were rigorously evaluated by a panel of tea experts representing every major tea-producing region in the world. The results showcase an outstanding diversity of flavours and craftsmanship, with strong showings from Taiwan, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, China, Nepal and more.
Key Highlights and Award Winners
Taiwan was the standout region of 2024, winning the highest number of awards overall with eight Gold and 10 Highly Commended winning teas. Taiwanese teas proved their excellence in various categories, with LuYu Tea Garden taking home the highly coveted Best in Black award for their exceptional black tea, which wowed judges with its depth and balanced flavour.
Japan once again took centre stage with Yame Tea Kumaen earning the prestigious Best in Show title for the second year. Their matcha saemidori astonished the judges with its sweet and creamy flavour and long-lasting smoothness. Japanese teas earned 16 Awards in total, including six Gold and 10 Highly Commended. Notably, Teaste it, an Italian-Japanese tea company, impressed the judges with their innovative Moka-cha, a matcha prepared in a traditional coffee moka pot.
Islington-based Japanese tea retailer Katsute claimed the most awards for any single retailer, receiving accolades for their premium matcha, gyokuro, and genmaicha teas. In India, Jay Shree Tea won the most awards of any single company. They were recognised with two Gold awards, including one for their experimental Steamed and Panned Darjeeling, along with three Highly Commended teas. Sri Lanka also earned seven awards overall, with high quality Ceylon teas demonstrating the region’s continued excellence in the global tea market.
China contributed some standout teas including Sichuan Emei-shan Zhuyeqing Tea’s scented jasmine, which was recognized not only for its superb quality but also for its artistry in tea making. Sichuan Emei-shan Zhuyeqing Tea was also honoured with The Leafies Pioneer Special Award for their impressive contributions to the industry. The Nepali tea community was also recognized this year, with Sandakphu and Nepal Tea Collective both winning Gold awards for their exceptional teas, highlighting Nepal’s growing prominence in the global tea industry.
New Categories and Innovative Teas
For the first time, The Leafies introduced a “Fruit and Herbal Infusions” category, which saw two extraordinary entries from Quinta de Soalheiro of Portugal. Their Lemon Verbena and Chocolate Mint infusions received glowing praise from the judging panel.
This year also marked significant recognition for retailers, with products like Birchall’s Great Rift Breakfast Blend and Copenhagen Sparkling Tea’s Jasmine, Darjeeling, Chamomile tea winning awards.
Commitment to Sustainability and Social Impact
An ongoing commitment from The Leafies to celebrate trail blazing tea companies in areas such as environmental stewardship, community empowerment, innovation and education is represented through a selection of special awards,with winners including the women-owned cooperative Kazi Yetuin Tanzania and Kaley Tea in Sri Lanka for its impressive sustainability initiatives.
