Were it not for tea, Hong Kong, as we know it, would not exist. The world's second-most consumed beverage after water has been responsible for shaping history and continues to shape lives. Tea, besides being healthy, encourages contemplation and a slower pace of life. "Tea is all about taking your time and, as time is a luxury, tea has metamorphosed into a luxury of its own accord," says Taha Bouqdib, president and co-founder of TWG Tea. "We want to change people's perception of tea so that they see it as dynamic, stylish and contemporary. We are modernising the concept of tea. We are mixing it with fashion and lifestyle." TWG (The Wellness Group) products, stores and tea rooms can be found alongside Prada and Louis Vuitton at the IFC Mall in Hong Kong and Harrods in London. The Singapore-based brand is among several companies looking to take tea to luxurious new heights. "It was my dream to capture African luxury," says Ivory Coast-born Swaady Martin-Leke, founder and chief executive of Yswara, which specialises in fine African tea. Des Anges is a Malawian peony white tea speckled with 22ct edible gold petals. Her Seven Wonders of Africa, including teas from the rolling hills of Rwanda to the misty peaks of Malumi's Shine Highlands, are offered alongside exquisite black-glazed earthenware with gold detailing, and designer teaspoons crafted by goldsmiths. "Speciality and gourmet tea is a fast-growing segment within the tea industry," Martin-Leke says. "It is definitely one of the hottest trends." Fine tea drinking has never been more popular. "We have had eight years of continuous growth on our website," says Edward Eisler, founder of JING. "We are also seeing a growing trend for tea over coffee in general. And as tea strengthens its position as the drink of choice, consumers are also experimenting with new variants." Bouqdib has seen increasing demand for high-quality teas at five-star hotels in Asia. One such hotel is the Landmark Mandarin Oriental, where Michelin-starred culinary director Richard Ekkebus says there is a strong emphasis on tea and its correct service. He sees tea as a "cool" drink for every age and nationality and notes particular growth in the China market. "The demand for specific, high-quality tea is driven through China, and that is also driving tea prices," he says. Tea originated in China, most probably Yunnan province, with the former trading post of Pu'er in Xishuangbanna giving its name to the highest-quality fermented dark tea. The Chinese have been drinking tea for thousands of years. Tea was introduced to the Portuguese in the 16th century and to the British in the 17th century. They began growing it on the Indian subcontinent, to compete with China, and also in their African colonies - some of which are still key producers. It was the British thirst for tea that led to the Opium Wars, the culmination of which was the ceding of Hong Kong to the British. Eisler, who has a degree in Chinese medicine, says: "The breadth of variety of teas on offer in China is greater than anywhere else and the knowledge and understanding of the plant and processing unrivalled." Terroir is becoming a key element of the tea experience. A delegation of Yunnan tea growers recently visited the French wine region of Burgundy to exchange know-how and ideas, and a group of Burgundian winemakers are in turn planning to fly to Kunming to visit tea plantations. London-based family company Lalani & Co, which has delivered butler training at Buckingham Palace, sees itself as a curator of small-batch, seasonal teas and says that to drink tea is to taste "the earth's most precious leaves". It consider seasons, region, style of making and elevation to ensure that every batch is the "most beautiful flavour expression of its terroir". Co-founder Jameel Lalani believes sommeliers and wine enthusiasts are connecting very quickly with tea because of such similarities. "The wine industry has done a very good job of educating people about wine. We hope to do the same for tea," Bouqdib says. "Like wine, each tea from TWG Tea is stored, presented, infused and served in exactly the same manner as a very exquisite wine." Japanese company Royal Blue Tea packages its tea in wine bottles and serves it in wine glasses. "You can call it the DRC [Domaine de la Romanée-Conti] of teas," Ekkebus says. "This will change the way we drink tea in fine-dining restaurants. In a wine glass, we enjoy the aroma at its very best, and it offers phenomenal pairing with food. Prices can go up to the level of grand cru wines." The subject of tea and food pairing is as hot as developing ways to match wine with Asian cuisines. At Wynn Macau, a tea sommelier in Golden Flower restaurant (which serves Tan food) recommends less tannic teas while eating. Eisler has come up with a pairing of teas with variously flavoured mooncakes. Eisler's inspiration for founding JING was to bring the pleasures of ancient Asian tea culture to modern society. During his travels, he became fascinated to learn about the techniques and factors that had to be considered for the optimum result, including temperature, water quality, teapot size and infusion time. It's taken seriously at Hotel Okura Macau, where the Japanese restaurant Yamazato features a spherical teahouse created out of washi paper. A 40-minute ceremony, created by a tea master, involves the ceremonial preparation of matcha (a powdered green tea), served with traditional Japanese sweets to balance the tea's bitter nuances. "Our whole day is punctuated by rituals, some grand, some simple," says Martin-Leke of the importance of such ceremonies. "The pleasure of preparing tea is a ritual that relaxes and focuses the mind. It is an opportunity to meet time; to sip the timeless moment."
