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Loose Leaf Tea

Thanks to our Master Blenders, who travel the world for the perfect brew, there are so many delicious and unique teas. From classic Earl Grey to floral camomile infusions and refreshing green teas, there’s a blend to suit every cup.
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Full English - 100 Loose Pyramid Bags
Special Price

Full English 100 Loose Pyramid Bags

£4.50 each

Take a breather with this rich, bright and full-bodied blend before you go full throttle into the day. It's breakfast tea as it should be.

Lady Grey Loose Tea Caddy - 500g Loose Tea

Lady Grey Loose Tea Caddy 500g Loose Tea

£19.00 each

A tea caddy of fragrant Lady Grey, a fragrant, zesty and bright blend.

Earl Grey Loose Tea Caddy - 500g Loose Tea

Earl Grey Loose Tea Caddy 500g Loose Tea

£19.00 each

Our classic loose Earl Grey, a delicate tea with a twist of citrusy bergamot.

English Breakfast Loose Tea Caddy - 500g Loose Tea

English Breakfast Loose Tea Caddy 500g Loose Tea

£19.00 each

Full-bodied loose leaf black tea for a refreshing and well-rounded cup.

Assam - 125g Loose Tea

Assam 125g Loose Tea

£2.65 each

A strong Indian tea with a rich malty character - perfect at any time of the day

English Breakfast - 125g Loose Tea

English Breakfast 125g Loose Tea

£2.65 each

A light, golden and well-rounded tea with a lot of body and depth.

Earl Grey - 125g Loose Tea

Earl Grey 125g Loose Tea

£2.65 each

Our classic loose Earl Grey, a delicate tea with a twist of citrusy bergamot.

Discovery Collection Orangery of Lady Grey - 100g Loose Tea

Discovery Collection Orangery of Lady Grey 100g Loose Tea

£10.50 each

An orangey twist to the bergamot flavour of earl grey - in a pretty gift tin.

Lady Grey Loose Tea Caddy - 100g Loose Tea

Lady Grey Loose Tea Caddy 100g Loose Tea

£8.00 each

A tea caddy of fragrant Lady Grey, a fragrant, zesty and bright blend.

Ceylon Orange Pekoe Loose Tea Caddy - 100g Loose
Online Exclusive

Ceylon Orange Pekoe Loose Tea Caddy 100g Loose

£7.50 each

A rich blend of Ceylon teas with a superb flavour. A great way to start the day!

Discovery Collection London Strand Earl Grey - 100g Loose Tea

Discovery Collection London Strand Earl Grey 100g Loose Tea

£10.50 each

A black tea with a twist of citrus and lemon peel in a pretty gift tin.

Discovery Collection Rose Garden Black Tea - 15 Pyramid Tea Bags

Discovery Collection Rose Garden Black Tea 15 Pyramid Tea Bags

£8.50 each

A rose-flavour black tea for a summery pause.

Discovery Collection Two Seasons Darjeeling - 100g Loose Leaf Tea

Discovery Collection Two Seasons Darjeeling 100g Loose Leaf Tea

£10.50 each

A light and balanced tea of 1st and 2nd flush Darjeeling - in a pretty gift tin.

Discovery Collection London Strand Earl Grey - 15 Pyramid Tea Bags

Discovery Collection London Strand Earl Grey 15 Pyramid Tea Bags

£8.50 each

A black tea with a twist of citrus and lemon peel.

The Full English - 15 Pyramid Bags (Individually Wrapped)

The Full English 15 Pyramid Bags (Individually Wrapped)

£5.50 each

We think this is breakfast tea as it should be, well-rounded and full of flavour.

Irish Breakfast Loose Tea Caddy - 100g Loose Tea
Online Exclusive

Irish Breakfast Loose Tea Caddy 100g Loose Tea

£7.50 each

A stronger and more intense take on English Breakfast tea. A true Irish brew.

The Earl - 40 Loose Pyramid Tea Bags

The Earl 40 Loose Pyramid Tea Bags

£10.25 each

We decided to take Earl Grey to a whole new level, marrying it with lemon zest and a sublime large leaf Chinese black tea to bring The Earl to life.

The Earl - 15 Pyramid Bags (Individually Wrapped)

The Earl 15 Pyramid Bags (Individually Wrapped)

£5.50 each

What’s that nose-twitching, intriguing citrusy smell? Ahh it’s bergamot! The unique flavour that sums up Earl Grey.

Earl Grey Loose Tea Caddy (International Blend) - 100g Loose Tea
Online Exclusive

Earl Grey Loose Tea Caddy (International Blend) 100g Loose Tea

£7.50 each

Our classic loose Earl Grey, a delicate tea with a twist of citrusy bergamot.

Darjeeling Loose Tea Caddy - 100g Loose Tea

Darjeeling Loose Tea Caddy 100g Loose Tea

£8.00 each

Loose black tea in a caddy. Light and delicate with a subtle fragrant edge.

Loose Tea 

Our master blenders travel the world to find and create the perfect cup of loose leaf tea. From classic Earl Grey, made with tea leaves, to floral infusions and refreshing green teas, there is a loose leaf blend to suit every moment and everybody.

What is Loose Tea?

Let’s start with the classic tea bag. Every tea bag contains the dried leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant, which are cut, sliced and diced to form the inside of a tea bag. Loose leaf tea, however, is made of high-quality leaves that are hand-picked, rolled to help break down the leaves and encourage oxidation, and then dried to create a tea that comes from the whole of the tea leaf. Essentially, loose leaf tea is brewed loose and not in a tea bag, hence the name. 

Why Do People Drink Loose Leaf Tea?

Because loose leaf tea uses the whole tea leaf and isn’t treated in the same way as the ‘fannings’ (dust) that is found in a tea bag, it tends to have a more robust and richer flavour. Think of loose leaf tea like fine wine, which has different notes and subtle differences that can be tasted, smelt, and even seen. 

The other beauty of loose leaf tea is that it’s not a predetermined amount of tea, like that found in a tea bag. Loose leaf tea can be measured out to suit the drinker’s preferences. It is felt that by drinking the whole leaves you get a much smoother and deeper flavour of tea. 

How is Loose Leaf Tea Made?

The process of making loose leaf tea is similar to making the tea that is found in teabags, but with a few differences. The creation of loose leaf tea involves a process that can vary depending on the tea type—whether it's black, green, white, oolong, or herbal. Here's an overview:

Plucking: The tea leaves are handpicked, typically from the top two leaves and a bud of the Camellia sinensis plant. This step ensures the quality of the leaves.

Withering: Freshly plucked tea leaves are spread out in a controlled environment to wither. This process reduces the moisture content and makes the leaves pliable.

Rolling: The withered leaves are then rolled to break down their cell structure. Rolling can be done by hand or by machinery. This step initiates the oxidation process, which is crucial for certain types of tea.

Oxidation: For loose leaf teas like black tea, the rolled leaves are spread out to react with oxygen, which triggers oxidation. The level of oxidation affects the final flavour and colour of the tea. Green and white teas are not oxidised or are minimally oxidised.

Firing or Drying: After achieving the desired oxidation level, the tea leaves are heat-treated to halt oxidation. This step also removes any remaining moisture from the leaves.

Sorting and Grading: The processed leaves are sorted based on size, quality, and characteristics. This sorting creates different grades of tea, from whole leaves to smaller particles that can then be used in tea bags. 

What Types of Loose Leaf Tea Leaves Are There? 

There are many types of loose leaf tea, each with its own unique qualities, flavours, and, as mentioned before, notes and nuances. Here are some of our delicate and beautiful loose leaf teas you can enjoy at home. 

English breakfast Loose Tea - A light, golden and well-rounded tea with a lot of body and flavour 

Earl Grey Loose tea: A classic loose Earl Grey with flavours of lemon and bergamot 

Assam Loose Tea: solid Indian tea with a rich, malty character - perfect at any time of the day. 

Blackcurrant & Lavender Loose Tea: A rich and fragrant blend of blackcurrant and lavender that tastes like autumn. 

Grey Dragon Oolong  Loose Tea: Elegant needles of refreshing aromatic oolong tea with a light and floral note. 

2nd Flush Darjeeling Loose Leaf Tea: A light and elegant black tea grown in the Himalayas with a citrus finish. 

How to Drink Loose Leaf Tea? 

The way you drink loose tea leaves is all down to preference, but a few things will help you get the most from your cup of loose leaf tea. Here’s how to brew; 

1. Boil Water: Heat fresh, filtered water to the perfect temperature for the type of tea you're brewing. Different teas require different temperatures (e.g., green tea typically needs cooler water than black tea).

2. Measure Tea: Not sure how much loose leaf per cup? Use 1-2 teaspoons per cup. Place the leaves for tea into your infuser or brewing vessel.

3. Infuse: Pour the hot water and let it steep for the recommended time. Steeping times vary depending on the type of tea—green tea might steep for 2-3 minutes, while black tea may steep for 3-5 minutes.

4. Strain or Remove: Once steeped, remove the infuser or strain the tea leaves from your teapot or mug to avoid over-steeping.

5. Enjoy: Pour the brewed tea into your cup and savour the aromatic and flavours of your loose leaf tea. 

Why Choose Twinings' Loose LeafTea?

With over 300 years of tea blending behind us, you can count on Twinings loose leaf tea for the perfect cup, every time. 

• Exceptional quality: Our Master Blenders rate hundreds of samples from all over the world every week to ensure we only buy the best tea leaves. We don't own any tea gardens either, so we're free to partner with the best producers around. 

• Rich flavour varieties: Our range of loose leaf tea is full of diverse flavours and blends. From classic black teas to more unique and rare types of loose tea such as blackcurrant and lavender, Grey Dragon Oolong or Jasmine Jade Butterfly, you can be sure to find something to suit your taste or a new tea blend to try. 

• Tea drinkers' choice: Twinings is a family favourite, so we're the top out-of-home tea choice. Elevate your everyday cup of tea with one of our loose teas today, and see why!

• Purveyors of Great Taste: In 2023, we were honoured to win prizes for 15 of our products at the Great Taste Awards – often referred to as the 'Oscars of the food and drink world'.  

• Committed to care: All our teas are sourced with care, from looking after the environment they grow in to treating suppliers and pickers fairly. Learn more about our commitment to communities

Shop our loose lea teas today and experience more. Got a question? Check our FAQs or contact us.  


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