Since many of my readers are avid tea drinkers, I decided to start my 2023 holiday gift guide with a selection of my favorite tea stores. Once I made my list, I thought of adding a section about my recent coffee discovery. Finally, I finished my list with a few scented candles, focusing on the tea and coffee scents. I hope that this guide will inspire you, and of course, I look forward to your suggestions.
Ippodo Tea
Ippodo Tea is a family-run company founded in 1717. Although its roots are in Kyoto, Ippodo stores can be found all over Japan and even abroad. Their matcha is some of the best I’ve tasted, especially Seiun and Sayaka. They offer a selection of classical teas and their website makes it easy to find the right tea for you. If you’re new to Japanese tea, it’s a good place to start.
Website: Global and US & Canada.
Thés du Japon
My ikebana teacher recommended this store to me and gave me a sample of one of their teas. I first spend several days engrossed into their blog that describes different Japanese tea cultivars and growing regions. The store was founded by two Frenchmen, one of whom, Florent Weugue, is a certified Japanese tea sommelier. The teas I’ve ordered were spectacular, and as I’m writing this post, I’m drinking Sencha from Kawane, Moto-Fujikawa, Shizu-7132 cultivar. It has a gorgeous scent of sakura blossoms, with a toasted almond nuance.
Website: thes-du-japon.com. First-time buyers receive a code for a discount. My order was delivered by UPS and the transaction was smooth.
Hibiki-An
I like this site for their selection of teas, wagashi (Japanese sweets) and teaware. They make beautiful tasting sets and their selection varies with season. I’ve been their customer for several years and I recommend them highly. One interesting and affordable option is their konacha, sencha or gyukuro flakes that retain their flavor and offer a beautiful color. Their premium matcha is likewise excellent, with a pronounced violet note.
Website: hibiki-an.com, free shipping is available. In Belgium, packages with tea sent by EMS tend to be stuck in customs for weeks, if not months, so unless I place my order well in advance, I tend to shop at Hibiki-An for myself.
Yunnan Sourcing Tea Shop
An impressive selection of pu-erh teas, with detailed explanations and guides. I like that you can buy small packages to try a few things and compare them. They also offer great tasting sets.
Website: yunnansourcing.com, a variety of shipping options from China, at reasonable prices. The customer service is based in the US and is helpful and responsive.
Tea Masters
I learned about Tea Masters while reading the Thés du Japon blog, and I became curious to try their selection of mostly teas. The store was founded by Stéphane Erler in 2005 who has been studying tea for the past 17 years. The offer is highly personal and varied, but it’s curated well enough not to feel overwhelming. There is also a section devoted to teaware, with some lovely pieces.
Website: tea-masters.com, shipping from Taiwan.
Japanese Coffee Co
The moment I opened the package, I fell in love with the scent of charcoal-roasted coffee from this Japanese company. It’s rich, layered, with a beautiful combination of chocolate and floral notes. Although the roasts I’d selected were dark, the taste was smooth and voluptuous, without a hint of unpleasant bitterness or acidity. They have a selection of blends or monovarietals, and you can buy samples.
Website: japanesecoffeeco.com, shipping from Japan, free shipping available. Predictably, my package was stuck in customs, but the customer service was responsive and helpful.
Tea Scented Candles
Matcha, chai, Darjeeling. You can find a favorite tea among the large selection of this London-based tea company. Elegant packaging, delicate but lingering scents.
Website: theteamakers.co.uk/collections/tea-scented-candles, free shipping in the UK.
Byredo Chai Candle
I always think that if I want my room to smell like chai, I simply brew up a cup with my signature blend of spices. That being said, Byredo Chai candle is excellent. It combines the spicy warmth of cinnamon, ginger and pepper with the woody and creamy notes. The scent wafts gently in the air and remains even after the candle is snuffed out.
Website: Byredo, select a website based on your location.
Miller Harris Tea Candle
A delicate scent of tea leaves and violets. Soft, comforting and yet with a fresh, bright note that feels welcome on grey winter days. Another high-quality candle that makes a lovely gift.
Website: Miller Harris, select a website based on your location. The EU-based readers, this candle is currently on sale at my-origines.com.
Terres de Café Candle
I haven’t been able to find a coffee-scented candle that I like until I tried the one from the French coffee purveyor, Terres de Café. It has a beautiful balance of woody and sweet notes and it will charm a coffee aficionado. The company was founded by Christophe Servell, Meilleur torréfacteur de France, and their coffee selection is likewise spectacular.
Website: Terres de Café, free shipping in France on orders over 50 €, worldwide shipping available.
Do you have favorite tea or coffee stores, online or in brick & mortar?
Photography by Bois de Jasmin
15 Comments
Donna: Thank you! Face lit up with the thought of matcha “with a pronounced violet note”. December 11, 2023 at 9:38am
Victoria: Their Sencha Konacha also has a violet note, but it depends on the year. Last year’s didn’t have it. December 11, 2023 at 10:27am
Sandra: For Coffee I like Cafe Vita, they have a shop in Brooklyn.
I also like Sant Eustachio, a famous coffee shop in Roma, Italia. They ship worldwide so it’s a nice gift if you have a friend that wants to transport themselves back to Italy.
Candles- I love the scented candles at NYPL shop sells, I have the “Rose Main Reading Room” one. I also love Nest candles-my favorite is Moroccan Amber.
For Tea -Nothing beats Mariage Freres. December 11, 2023 at 9:46am
Marianne: I’m trying to decide which flavor of Mariage Freres tea to get? Do you have any recommendations? December 11, 2023 at 9:52am
Victoria: My favorite teas from the collection were Marco Polo (strawberry and flowers), Earl Grey French Blue, Chai Earl Grey (imagine a spicy twist to Earl Grey), Paris Breakfast (honey and lemon). December 12, 2023 at 9:02am
Marianne: Thank you very much. I ordered Marco Polo and Chai Earl Grey. Can’t wait to try them! December 14, 2023 at 4:58am
Victoria: I also like Sant’Eustachio very much. Here is the website for anyone interested:
https://caffesanteustachio.com/?lang=en December 11, 2023 at 10:28am
Nancy Chan: I’m glad the Holiday gift guide is back!
I would like to add Twinings tea shop, London. Thanks to your perfume blog, Osmanthus doesn’t only appear in perfumes, but also in tea. I have purchased Twinings Osmanthus tea, green tea with dried Osmanthus flowers. I have recently discovered dried Osmanthus flowers in Chinese supermarkets.
Apart from tea, coffee and candles, I would like to add Fortnum and Mason for their candied chestnuts and other sweet treats. December 11, 2023 at 10:33am
Victoria: There is another amazing tea shop that I use. It’s called Wang Tea and it’s based in Taiwan. Their teas are amazing, including their Osmanthus oolong, if you prefer floral teas. But even their oolongs without added flowers have a rich floral scent. I typically contact them via Instagram with a list of teas I want to buy, since I visite them in Taipei and have their catalog, but if anyone wants to support this small family business, you can reach out to them via @wsjas (Jason) and ask for the price list. December 11, 2023 at 2:28pm
rickyrebarco: These sound lovely. Thanks for the list! December 11, 2023 at 11:37am
Victoria: My pleasure! I hope that you’ll try something. December 11, 2023 at 2:25pm
Nina: Thank you for this lovely collection! I am also a big lover of Japanese teas and I just started learning ikebana.
Wishing you a fragrant holiday season!
Nina December 12, 2023 at 8:58am
Victoria: How wonderful! I’m so enjoying my classes. It’s been almost 9 months since I’ve started learning ikebana. December 12, 2023 at 9:00am
Aurora: Thank you very much for a great list. I am a black tea lover, green tea not so much, although I have some for health purpose. I’ll add Kusmi tea to the list. December 16, 2023 at 8:48am
Victoria: Kusmi Violette tea is wonderful. December 17, 2023 at 8:31am