About New English Teas

New English Teas has been making tea gifts since 1985, and the tin is as much the product as the tea inside it.

What they sell

Tea comes in decorative containers of every shape — classic and square tins, caddies, selection tins with several blends in one box, novelty and portrait designs — alongside plain teabag boxes and loose leaf. The blends cover English Breakfast, English Afternoon, Earl Grey and the house 1869 blend, with hot chocolate and mints on the side. Designs run from heritage London scenes and royal imagery to licensed ranges including Harry Potter, Winnie the Pooh and Alice in Wonderland, which is what makes these work as souvenirs as well as presents.

Loose leaf or bags

Worth deciding before you order, because the same blend is sold both ways. Leaves have room to open in a pot and give a rounder cup, and a caddy of loose tea looks the part on a shelf; bags are quicker and travel better. If you are buying for someone who has never brewed loose tea, a tin of bags is the kinder gift than a caddy and an infuser they will not use. Selection tins solve the problem of not knowing which blend someone drinks.

Brewing and keeping it

Black tea wants water just off the boil and three to five minutes; leaving the bag in longer does not make it stronger so much as bitter, because tannins keep extracting after the flavour has finished. Earl Grey is the exception people get wrong — the bergamot oil turns harsh with over-steeping, so err short. Store tins somewhere cool and dry and away from spices and coffee, since tea takes on smells readily, and keep the lid on properly. A tin will outlast the tea in it and makes a decent container afterwards.

For gifting, the licensed designs and the London and royal imagery are what sell to visitors and to relatives abroad, and the tins survive posting far better than most food gifts. If you are sending overseas, check the customs position for the destination before ordering, since tea is usually straightforward but the chocolate and confectionery lines are not always.

Using a New English Teas discount code

Choose the tins, apply the code at the checkout stage, and check the order summary before confirming.