Tea blending returns to Leith, Edinburgh as PekoeTea launches new Tea Studio

Renowned Edinburgh tea blenders, PekoeTea will open a new Tea Studio this Friday, 24th September, which will provide a world-class venue for bespoke tea tasting and blending sessions.

Article Source: PekoeTea
Last Updated: 23 September 2021 12:08

The striking studio on Edinburgh’s Leith Walk is a specially designed space that showcases PekoeTea’s range of teas with a stone topped central counter, at which customers can sit and experience flavours ranging from white, green, black and oolong teas to Kinnettles Gold Scottish Grown Tea, Cherry Sencha Green Tea, Chocolate & Coconut Black Tea and a range of single malt whisky teas. With a sleek hot water tap dispensing water at a variety of temperatures, teas are brewed especially for visitors, who will gain an insight into the unique teas and blending process behind PekoeTea.

Customers will also be able to see the dedicated blending area, with walls clad with more than 30 base teas, 20 flowers, ten fruit flavours and a variety of oils, which combine to provide notes for PekoeTea’s renowned range of teas.

Group or bespoke tea tastings will allow visitors to find their favourite flavours, while tea blending sessions will allow customers to develop their own blend – all under the expert eye of the PekoeTea team.

Co-owner, Esther Kungu Cooper said:
“Our new tea studio will provide a base for us to share our blending processes and work more creatively as a team but, most importantly it will be a destination for tea lovers and aims to bring people together over delicious tea. We want to draw back the curtain on tea blending, revealing some of the aromas and flavours, which go into creating the perfect blend. This project has been planned for over 18 months, so we’re delighted to open the doors and share our love of teas from across the world with a wider audience!”

PekoeTea is run by Esther Kungu and Jon Cooper, who started the company more than 11 years ago with a base on Edinburgh’s Leven Street. Esther and Jon have developed a unique blending process that allows them to create their own flavours (instead of simply buying in pre-flavoured teas), alongside sourcing single estate teas from around the world. PekoeTea has created unique blends for some of Scotland’s most prestigious hotels and venues: from The Royal Yacht Britannia to Edinburgh’s Waldorf Astoria; Cameron House to Glasgow’s Mackintosh at The Willow. PekoeTea have also supplied the Japanese Embassy with Kinnettles Gold Scottish Grown Tea.

With a nod to Japanese tea ceremonies, the studio has been developed by award-winning interior designers, Splintr, who have added a washi paper screen and high oak shelves, lined with tea caddies, that reach up towards the original Victorian cornices. In a curious coincidence, the new studio is just a few doors down from what was originally a Melrose tea and coffee house, one of the historic tea producers and importers that has provided Edinburgh with such strong links to tea over the centuries.

The studio also allows the team to provide specialist training for wholesale clients and produce online workshops that can be used to spread the word to the company’s increasingly global audience. With an increased focus on their digital presence, the PekoeTea Studio also provides a useful creative space to facilitate product design and photography, alongside blend development.

Working directly with tea growers from Scotland to Sri Lanka, Kenya to China, PekoeTea sources the finest single-estate teas, to create unique handcrafted blends: the only company in Scotland to specialise in such blending techniques rather than relying on simply adding to pre-flavoured teas. Jon and Esther produce a range of teas: from black, white and green teas, to oolong, fruit and herbal blends. A selection of five whisky teas have also been specially blended by hand and flavoured with real Scotch single malt whisky; alongside a Fudge Tea.
Bespoke blends can be created privately for customers, and seasonal flavours like a comforting Christmas blend with flavours of apple, cinnamon, cloves, and orange or a summery Orange Blossom Oolong are also available at certain times of year.

All PekoeTeas are loose leaf and many are also available in biodegradable pyramid teabags.

PekoeTea takes a comprehensively ethical approach to trading: from sourcing to selling teas. It is an accredited Living Wage Foundation employer.

Find out more about PekoeTea or order online at www.pekoetea.co.uk.

The new PekoeTea studio will be open at 11 Leith Walk, Edinburgh EH6 8LN from Thursday to Saturday and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays by appointment.

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