The end of the year invites thinking over which teas delighted me in 2025. Although I’ll begin by highlighting some of my longstanding favorites, this post will dwell on the teas that first made it into repeat rotation in 2025. My list includes black, green, oolong, and yellow teas–by coincidence! I wasn’t trying to choose teas from such a wide range of categories.
Longstanding Favorite Teas
Many of my beloved teas of 2025 are multiyear, or even longer, favorites. I will always love Balhyocha, Sejak, Frozen Summit (Dong Ding), Jade Rouge, Oriental Beauty (Bai Hao), Ya Shi Xiang Dan Cong, and Yuzu Matcha. These are just some highlights of my long-term favorites.
In this post, I highlight teas that I either first tried and loved or that first captured my heart in 2025. Some of these teas are pricey, but can be caught on sale with some patience and luck.
New-to-Me Teas that Delighted in 2025
Jasmine Black Pearls
I know this is controversial for jasmine tea lovers, but I am usually not in the mood for jasmine green tea, which is the way I encounter a jasmine tea 99% of the time. I will occasionally enjoy a cup. To my very subjective tastes, however, the jasmine overpowers the green tea in ways that I don’t usually appreciate.
I bought the Jasmine Black Pearls from David’s Tea at the 2025 Toronto Tea Festival. Mainly, I planned to give some to my son, who appreciates jasmine green tea. Thankfully, I bought a bag of the pearls for me to try, too. To my surprise, I loved it!
The tea is scented with jasmine flowers and rolled into balls of about .75-1g of tea each. The balance between the hearty (but elegant) black tea and the jasmine in this scented tea is perfection! I love it hot, as a cold brew, and as a sparkling iced tea. And, the pearls are really convenient for steeping…and fun to watch. So, the Jasmine Black Pearls have been on regular rotation as a delightful tea of 2025 this year.
Hwangcha (Korean Yellow Tea)
If you’ve read my posts, subscribed to my newsletter, or followed me on social media, you probably already know I love the selection of lovingly curated teas from Soocha Tea. I pay full price for their teas that I drink personally. But–full transparency–Soocha Tea has generously donated teas (and sometimes accessories) to some of my giveaways.
Several years ago, I tasted Hwangcha–a “yellow” Korean tea before and really enjoyed it. Unlike Chinese yellow tea that closer in flavor profile to green tea, Korean hwangcha tastes more like a honeyed oolong.
At the very end of 2024, Soocha Tea started offering Hwangcha. I tried it and fell in love with it and put it in regular rotation in 2025. I knew I had to include it on this list of teas that delighted me in 2025. It’s a family favorite, too!
This Korean Hwangcha tea is sweet, with no astringency. (Seriously—I accidentally let a third infusion steep for 15 minutes once, and it was still great and not astringent or bitter!)
One prominent flavor note reminds me of honey— if it were made from dried wildflowers. Another note also reminds me a bit of buckwheat honey. There is also a touch of grain flavor. A beautiful depth of flavor balances the sweetness. It’s so good! Besides the flavor and aroma, I also love the fanciful shapes of the tea leaves.
Lũng Phìn Small Leaf Green
This green tea was a surprise! I tend to be very wary of teas that have smoky flavors. I usually avoid them; however, this Vietnamese tea from Anna Ye Tea absolutely changed that! There’s something very comforting (and delicious) about this tea. It brings summer cookout vibes—buttered sweet corn and a plate of garden fresh greens while seated near the grill.
Despite the summer flavors, this is the rarer green tea that delights me in the colder months, too. I’m amazed that I have a smoky green tea on my list of teas that delighted me in 2025!
Native Cultivar Reserve
One of my besties sent me a sample of this tea. That’s how I got to taste Native Cultivar Reserve the first (and second) times. This delightful tea from Red Blossom Tea Company is a black, bug bitten tea.
It was love at first sniff and taste! Its fruity aroma absolutely reminds me –very specifically– of the delightful fragrance of dried strawberries. It’s an elegant, aromatic, and silky tea. Honesty, the steeped tea reminds me of a delightful cross between an Oriental Beauty and a Dan Cong–no wonder I love it!
Night Blooming Fragrance Phoenix Dan Cong
I first tried Azenbor’s teas when they generously sent me their Phoenix Dan Cong Sampler, which I reviewed on the blog. Since then, I have purchased more teas from them at full price, including this one. Another tea to delight me in 2025!
Their Night Blooming Fragrance (Ye Lai) Phoenix Dan Cong absolutely delighted me. It still does! The warmed, dry leaves smell of berries and flowers. I also detected a slightly earthy/woody note hiding out in the stacked aromas. The floral notes are well integrated into the flavor profile. I detect that floral and the flavor of fresh tomato vine in the second steep. My daughter noted that mild and pleasant earthy flavor in the third steep, too.
So Many 2025 Delightful Teas
I feel so lucky to have made the acquaintance of, and gotten to know better, so many delightful teas in 2025. I feel like I learn about a new-to-me tea every week! Aren’t we lucky that the world of tea is so wide and diverse. There’s really something for everyone, not to mention so much to learn and so many to taste.
This list was a challenge to narrow down! I thoroughly enjoyed other teas that didn’t make this list.
Raising my glass of sparkling tea: here’s to new discoveries and great tea in 2026! If you’ve tried any of the teas I mentioned, or would like to share a tea that delighted you in 2025, I invite to let me know in the comments.