Growing Tea in Scotland: The beginning

It all began with a handful of tea gardens, scattered across Scotland. The owners dreamed of growing teas, with Scottish roots and high-quality leaf in Scottish soil.

These owners formed a group, an association concerned with supporting one another and furthering tea expertise in Scotland. 

After five years of nurturing their plantations, they would create something incredible together.

The group, or Tea Scotland as we have become, launched The Gathering, our first-ever tea, in 2021. Described as sweet and seductive with notes of chocolate, wood and honeysuckle, this was followed in 2022 with the launch of The Blackhouse: a roasted black tea, with chestnut and dark chocolate notes and a lingering cinder toffee sweetness. 

The group now consists of 15 members growing tea in Scotland, primarily because we are excited about the flavours the Scottish terroir can produce in tea. 

We are developing teas with seemingly impossible flavours from a plant so often grown and processed with less care.

We are growing teas that honour people and place. 

A new crop for Scotland

Tea is perhaps an unusual choice for a Scottish climate: our changeable climate is nothing like that of India or Nepal, and it certainly doesn't have the hot, humid summers of the Fujian province in China. 

The best teas, however, often come from mountainous regions, where tea experiences colder temperatures. Microclimates in Scotland mimic the conditions in high-grown tea regions, known for producing quality teas with distinct, refined flavours.

Lying dormant in the harsh winters, our plants formulate exciting flavours that burst out each Spring. These Scottish tea plants are strong, and the flush is delicate: they are the stuff of Scotland!  

Expertly processed by Beverly Wainwright at The Scottish Tea Factory, the outcome of our Scottish-grown tea plants exceeded all expectations, boasting remarkable flavours and aromas. 

Customers can look forward to subtle new notes every year, depending on the amount of leaf contributed and the geographical areas involved. 

We are excited about taking the tea further and what the future holds for Scottish tea.