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Azores Tea

Chá dos Açores, São Miguel tea

6.9/10 editor's score

Tea from São Miguel in the Azores, home to the oldest surviving tea plantation in Europe. Both black and green teas are made here.

EuropeIslandAzores
↓ Jump to brew guideAbout this teaCompare

Based on published sources, not yet tasted.

Dry leaf of Azores Tea, top-down

What you need

2.5 g leafAzores Tea
250 ml water95 to 100°C
Steep 3:002 steeps
LiquorAmber-red
Served inTeapot and cup

At a glance

Tea from São Miguel in the Azores, home to the oldest surviving tea plantation in Europe.

CaffeineMedium~30 to 50 mg, our estimate
MilkGentle: fine without milk.
Beginner fit8.0 / 10From the editor's score
HarvestApril to SeptemberApril to September [1].
Pairs withPastries, Cheese, CakeLess good with very spicy food
Grown atNorthern slopes of São MiguelSão Miguel, Azores
Served inTeapot and cupA general choice

About Azores Tea

What sources say about the taste

Sources describe the history and range; styles include black and green teas 1.

01 · Aroma

First sip

Lift the cup and smell before you drink.

02 · Taste

Middle

Let it sit on the tongue for a moment.

03 · Finish

Finish

What stays after you swallow.

Hover or tap a noteBigger image and more dots mean a stronger note.

Notes and intensities are an editor's summary of published tasting notes, not our own tasting.

Where it grows

São MiguelAzoresPORTUGAL
Island
São Miguel, Azores 1
Founded
1883, oldest surviving in Europe 1
Teaching
Two Chinese tea specialists from Macau, 1878 1
Pesticides
None used at the oldest estate 1

More from São Miguel and Portugal.

History and culture

Tea came after blight destroyed the orange groves by 1864 1.

By the 1980s only one tea company survived; a second factory reopened in 2001 1.

Editor's score

6.9/10

Weighted across six criteria: flavour 30%, heritage 20%, availability 15%, value 15%, beginners 10%, versatility 10%.

Based on published sources, not yet tasted. Rates the tea style, not a brand. How we score →

1086Flavour & complexity: 7.0Origin & heritage: 8.0Availability: 5.0Value: 6.5Beginner-friendliness: 8.0Versatility: 7.0Flavour 7.0Heritage 8.0Availability 5.0Value 6.5Beginners 8.0Versatility 7.0
Taste profile and caffeine

Profile is an editor's summary of published tasting notes, not a lab measurement or our own tasting.

Caffeine

Brewed coffee~95 mg
Black tea (average)~47 mg
Azores Tea~30 to 50 mg
Green tea (average)~28 mg

Our estimate. Per 8 fl oz (240 ml) cup. Coffee and tea averages from Mayo ClinicC.

Harvest calendar

Harvest runs April to September 1. Tap a month or a season.

Cultivars and plant

Camellia sinensis brought in from 1860 1.

How it is made
01Plucking

Spring to late summer 1.

02Withering

Softened.

03Rolling

Rolled.

04Oxidation

Full for black.

05Drying

Dried.

Dry leaf and liquor
Dry leafDark twisted leaf.
LiquorAmber-red.
After steeping
Wet leafBrown leaf.

The colour swatch is an approximate guide, not a photograph.

Food pairings and storage

Works well

  • Pastries
  • Cheese
  • Cake

Best avoided

  • Very spicy food

Pairings are general suggestions from the tea's style, not tested matches.

Storage

  • Airtight, opaque tin or pouch, away from light, heat, moisture and strong smells.
  • Keep it out of the fridge unless fully sealed, to avoid condensation.
  • Most loose tea is at its best within a year. Note the harvest date on the tin.
Grades and fakes

Black grades include Pekoe and Orange Pekoe; green includes Hysson 1.

How to spot a poor or fake one

  1. Tiny production, about 30 to 40 tonnes a year at the oldest estate 1.
  2. Look for São Miguel on the pack.
FAQ
Is tea really grown in Europe?

Yes. São Miguel has the oldest surviving tea plantation in Europe 1.

Find it inBlack teasTeas from PortugalSão MiguelEuropeIslandAzores

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, "Gorreana". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorreana
  2. Mayo Clinic, "Caffeine content for coffee, tea, soda and more". www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20049372

Scores and content updated 30 Oct 2026.