The Essence of Tea is a tea company based in Kunming, Yunnan, China with 140 teas in stock in our catalog. Last updated October 1, 2026 by My Tea Explorer.
The Essence of Tea in numbers
About The Essence of Tea
The Essence of Tea is run by David Collen and Yingxi Chen, a couple who started selling tea in China in 2008. They moved the business to England, then to Malaysia in 2014 for its humid climate and access to aged tea, and back to China in 2018. Orders ship from Kunming, where they keep a studio for tastings by appointment, while long-term stock stays in a Malaysian warehouse. Sales are online only.
The list is dominated by sheng puer, most of it dated, village-named ancient-tree cakes, with single-tree pressings from Guafengzhai and Sanjiazhai at the top. Behind that sit aged Liu Bao going back to the 1960s, Wuyi rock oolongs and Wudong Dancong. For a first order, try the 2012 EoT Bulang, a house pressing with fourteen years of age on it, and the 2007 "Signature Grade" Liu Bao.
Founded in 2008 in China by David Collen and Yingxi Chen
- Headquarters
- Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Founded
- 2008
- Founders
- David Collen, Yingxi Chen
- Known for
- Yunnan ancient-tree sheng puer; aged Liu Bao; Wuyi yancha; Wudong Dancong oolong; Yixing teapots
- How they source and sell
- Couple-run specialist that buys from Yunnan villages and older stock holders, presses some cakes under its own EoT label, and ages tea in a Malaysian warehouse.
The Essence of Tea catalog snapshot
- 140 of 221 listed teas in stock
- Median $0.76 per gram of leaf
- Listings run $6.50 to $2900 (USD per listing, any pack size)
Listed prices on October 1, 2026, not live. Compare per-gram prices across brands in the Tea Price Index.
Signature teas (6)
Where to start with The Essence of Tea. The full catalog has 140 teas in stock; these are the ones the brand is best known for.
2012 EoT Bulang
2026 Sanjiazhai Single Tree
2007 Essence of Tea "Signature Grade"
2019 EoT House Rou Gui Wuyi Yancha
2025 Wudong DuoNiYe Dancong
2026 FengQing Single Ancient Tree Wild Hongcha
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is The Essence of Tea based?
Orders ship from Kunming in Yunnan, China, where the owners keep a tasting studio open by appointment. Aged stock is held in a warehouse in Malaysia.
Who runs The Essence of Tea?
David Collen and Yingxi Chen, who founded it in China in 2008.
What should I order first from The Essence of Tea?
The 2012 EoT Bulang for an aged house-pressed sheng, or the 2007 "Signature Grade" Liu Bao if you want a dark tea.