International Tea Day 2025: Celebrating Culture, Sustainability & Flavour

International Tea Day 2025: A Toast to Tradition, Sustainability & Culture!

International Tea Day, celebrated every year on May 21st, to honour one of the world’s oldest and most loved beverages, tea! First officially recognised by the United Nations in 2019, this day aims to raise awareness of tea’s cultural significance worldwide. The date, May 21st, was chosen to align with the tea harvest season in key producing countries like India, China, Kenya, and Sri Lanka. While tea lovers have always celebrated this beverage, the UN’s recognition has given it a stronger global platform.

Culture Around The World

From East to West, tea-drinking cultures mark this day with diverse and flavourful variations of tea. In India, the most popular drink is masala chai, a black tea brewed with spices like cardamom, ginger and cinnamon along with milk and sugar. It is more than a drink. It is a daily ritual engraved into their everyday life. We also have our version called Bombay Chai which was made following traditional recipes with black tea and spices from India – Strong, aromatic & full bodied black tea. In China, tea is traditionally served without milk or sugar and the emphasis is on the variety of the leaves and the brewing method. Green tea like the Yunnan Green tea, oolong, black tea, and pu-erh are among the main types enjoyed!

In Japan, the tea culture is best known for its matcha of course. But beyond matcha, Japan also produces high-quality green teas such as sencha and gyokuro, that are enjoyed daily across the country.

Irish Tea Culture & Traditions

Ireland might not be a tea-producing country, but it holds a special place in everyday life, so much so that Ireland consistently ranks among the top tea-consuming countries per capita in the world. Introduced in the 18th century, tea quickly became a household staple, evolving into a symbol of hospitality, comfort, and daily routine. The most common style is strong black tea like the Irish Breakfast Tea, a refreshing combination of citrus and malty tones making it a perfect tea to be enjoyed throughout the day.

Good Quality Tea

There are 5 important steps involved in defining the quality of good tea.

Body - The strength and fullness of the tea flavour
Flavour profile – The definitive characteristics that make each tea unique.
Defects – Our teas are free from defects, but this is an important factor to look for when defining the quality of a tea. Should there be an overpowering taste of burnt leaves, a grassiness or simply a tea that lacks its usual flavour, there is a high chance that the tea leaves used contain defects.
Freshness – Our teas are blended in facilities with the ideal temperature and moisture control systems to ensure the freshest tea possible.
The Intensity of After Taste – The aftertaste and indeed the aroma of tea is just as important as its flavour. While you may not always love the aftertaste of every tea, aftertastes can be fascinating components of the flavours and aromas of many teas.

Java Republic Tea

We are as passionate about tea as we are about coffee! Our speciality tea range is 100% organic and fully biodegradable. We also know that not all tea drinkers are the same, and on different occasions and in different moods, tea drinkers turn to different flavours and that’s why we’ve created a truly unique range of teas to satisfy even the most discerning of tea palates.