Legend has it that the ancient Chinese emperor Shen Nung, considered the Divine Healer and Father of Chinese medicine, discovered tea when a leaf fell into his preferred drink—a cup of boiled water. Writing the earliest pharmacopoeia, with references to over 365 medicines, it is no wonder that he was so taken with tea.

Tea (from the Chinese word cha) has become a part of everyday life in cultures all around the world. And the tea we all drink comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, found in the tropical and subtropical climates of southeast Asia, southern China, India, Taiwan, and Sri Lanka.

The commercial migration of tea from China to all corners of the world is well known. The discovery that tea is an important element of contemplation, serenity, and health also spread. Just as Buddhist monks have enjoyed tea as an elixir of peace and tranquility for centuries, today we recognize the inspirational and restorative properties of tea.

The Way of Tea (or chado) continues as a modern idiom rooted in millennium-old traditions. Tea helps us relax, renews our spirits, and invigorates us. Tea offers extraordinary sensory experiences, some with a rich, expansive aroma, others with a texture on the palate so artfully woven that they practically disappear.

At Longevité, you can experience tea your way. Like fine wine, each of our teas has a unique terroir, a character that the growing region bestows on them. This is the linkage of the tea variety with soil, climate and microclimates, and traditional practices.

We source organic certified teas from gardens with the ideal conditions–humid tropical and subtropical climates with high rainfall and well-drained, fertile soil–producing a slow-growing plant that yields the best quality teas.

Our tea masters ensure that all of these come together to create a magical liquid. This is the special gift of tea—its ability to transport you to a small patch of the earth's surface and evoke such an exceptional combination of flavor, aroma, and taste.

From tea garden to you, Longevité teas are fine plucked, collected and processed under the guidance and scrupulous attention of the gardens' tea masters to produce teas of the highest quality. All of our teas are organic—no chemical pesticides or fertilizers are used.

Our teas are carefully graded for density, flavor, and aroma, and are evaluated for freshness and taste. Then they are stored in strictly controlled dry conditions that allow the teas to mature and acquire unique mellow flavors.