Little Red Cup sources organic loose-leaf tea directly from worker-owned cooperatives in China. We've been making trips to China for more than 30 years, and we focus on traditional Chinese teas—whole-leaf, balanced, the kind you can drink all day without getting tired of them.
Every tea we sell is USDA organic. We work directly with five cooperatives spread across China to reduce the steps from field to cup. For tea specifically, organic matters more than it does for most crops—tea is a perennial plant with high surface area exposure during steeping, and there's no washing or peeling before you drink it.
Black Teas
Wuyuan Black is our benchmark black tea—a traditional Congou-style tea from Jiangxi Province with balanced maltiness and a clean finish. This is the tea you can brew a full pot of and drink throughout the morning.
Black Snail comes from the same region, processed into tight spirals that unfurl into a robust, slightly sweet cup. Yunnan Black brings more body and honey notes from Yunnan Province in the southwest.
For something with smoke: Lapsang Souchong is the full campfire experience, while Russian Caravan—our only blend—tempers the smoke with smoothness from Jade Oolong and Wuyuan Black.
Golden Monkey and Number One Black Special are our premium blacks—Golden Monkey for its twisted golden tips and natural sweetness, Number One Black Special for its complex, malty character from Fujian Province. Keemun Black offers wine-like notes and smooth body, another special lot from China's historic black tea regions.
Green Teas
Green Eyebrow is our benchmark green—a traditional pan-fired tea from Jiangxi Province. Toasted and nutty rather than grassy or bitter, it's what we measure other greens against.
Gunpowder Green brings bold, smoky notes in tight pearls that unfurl when steeped. Jasmine Green is Green Eyebrow scented with night-blooming jasmine—floral without being perfumey.
Yu Lu (Jade Dew) is a spring green with sword-like leaves and a brisk, vegetal character. Green Mao Jian offers similar freshness with a rounder body.
Our premium greens include Dragon Well from Hangzhou (the famous toasted, sweet style), White Monkey (early spring harvest with natural honeyed sweetness), Bi Luo Chun (delicate spring greens), Jade Cloud (our lightest, most nuanced green), and Rangsai Mountain Green (a special mountain-grown lot with exceptional freshness).
Oolong Teas
Oolongs sit between green and black tea in oxidation, offering incredible range.
Jade Oolong is our benchmark—a greener oolong from Hunan Province with floral notes and light body. Bao Zhong is even lighter, with hints of apple blossom and sweetness that comes from the traditional wrapping process.
On the darker side: Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe) is the classic roasted oolong with mineral depth and complexity. Eastern Beauty is naturally sweet and balanced, oxidized further than most oolongs with toasty, honeyed notes. Qi Lan (Rare Orchid) brings distinctive orchid-like aromatics from Fujian's Wuyi Mountains.
White Teas & Others
White Peony (Bai Mu Dan) is our everyday white tea—naturally sweet, light, with minimal processing. Jasmine Silver Needle takes premium white tea buds and scents them with jasmine for a more refined, delicate floral experience.
Imperial Yellow is our rarest tea—a yellow tea with processing similar to green tea but with a wrapped oxidation step that creates Darjeeling-like complexity. Think of it as somewhere between a fine green tea and a lighter oolong.
Shou Pu'er is our fermented tea from Yunnan—earthy, rich, closer to aged wine than typical tea. It's in its own category entirely.
Camellia Flowers are the dried flowers from the tea plant itself—naturally caffeine-free, subtly sweet, and entirely unique.
What to Try First
If you're new to loose-leaf tea: Wuyuan Black or Green Eyebrow are safe bets—approachable, reliable, exactly what you expect from quality Chinese tea.
If you want something bold: Lapsang Souchong (full smoke), Da Hong Pao (roasted and complex), or Gunpowder Green (bold and vegetal).
If you want something naturally sweet: Jasmine Green, White Peony, Eastern Beauty, or Golden Monkey.
If you want to explore oolongs: Start with Jade Oolong (greener side) or Da Hong Pao (darker side)—they're the bookends of what oolong can be.
If you're ready to splurge: Dragon Well, Jasmine Silver Needle, White Monkey, or Number One Black Special—these are special lots that justify their premium pricing.
If you're looking for something unusual: Imperial Yellow (rare yellow tea), Shou Pu'er (fermented), or Camellia Flowers (caffeine-free herbal from the tea plant).
