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Rize Çay

Turkish black tea

7.8/10 editor's score

The black tea of Turkey's eastern Black Sea coast, brewed strong in a double teapot and served in small tulip glasses all day long.

Turkish teaÇaydanlıkNo milk
↓ Jump to brew guideAbout this teaCompare

Based on published sources, not yet tasted.

Dry leaf of Rize Çay, top-down

What you need

3 g leafRize Çay
200 ml water95 to 100°C
Steep 10:001 steep
LiquorBright, clear "rabbit's blood" red
Served inInce belli glass

At a glance

The black tea of Turkey's eastern Black Sea coast, brewed strong in a double teapot and served in small tulip glasses all day long.

CaffeineMedium~30 to 50 mg, our estimate
Beginner fit8.5 / 10From the editor's score
HarvestMay to OctoberSpring shoots, the best quality.
Pairs withTurkish breakfast: cheese, olives, simit, Baklava, BörekLess good with milk
Grown atCoastal slopes, sea level to about 1,000 mRize, Black Sea coast
Served inInce belli glassSmall tulip glass, on a saucer

About Rize Çay

What sources say about the taste

Turkish tea is usually described as brisk and clean rather than malty, and it is drunk without milk, often with sugar.

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

RizeBlack Sea coastTURKEY
Region
Rize and the eastern Black Sea coast 1
Producer
Mostly the state company Çaykur and private firms 1
Climate
Mild and very wet 1
Harvest
Three main flushes, May to October 1

More from Rize and Turkey.

History and culture

Tea trials began in Rize Province in 1912, and by 1924 a state Central Tea Nursery was handing out seedlings there. The earliest large-scale crops were established from 1939 to 1945 3.

The first tea crop was harvested in 1938 and the first tea factory opened in 1947. The state company Çaykur now runs 45 tea processing factories 2.

Editor's score

7.8/10

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: 8.0Value: 9.0Beginner-friendliness: 8.5Versatility: 7.0Flavour 7.0Heritage 8.0Availability 8.0Value 9.0Beginners 8.5Versatility 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
Rize Çay~30 to 50 mg
Green tea (average)~28 mg

Our estimate for a tulip glass. Turkish tea is brewed strong and diluted with hot water. Per 8 fl oz (240 ml) cup. Coffee and tea averages from Mayo ClinicC.

Harvest calendar

Rize tea is picked from May to October. Tap a month or a season.

Cultivars and plant

Camellia sinensis grown from seed, largely without pesticides because the cold winters keep pests down 1.

How it is made
01Plucking

By hand or with shears.

02Withering

Leaf softens.

03Rolling

Rolling or cutting.

04Oxidation

Full oxidation.

05Drying

Fired dry.

Dry leaf and liquor
Dry leafSmall, dark, broken leaf.
LiquorBright, clear "rabbit's blood" red.
After steeping
Wet leafDark brown fragments.

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

Food pairings and storage

Works well

  • Turkish breakfast: cheese, olives, simit
  • Baklava
  • Börek

Best avoided

  • Milk

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

Turkish tea is sold by brand and blend rather than by orthodox leaf grade.

How to spot a poor or fake one

  1. Look for Rize origin on the pack.
  2. Fresh tea smells clean, not dusty.
FAQ
How do Turks drink tea?

Strong tea diluted with hot water in tulip glasses, usually without milk.

What is a çaydanlık?

A stacked double teapot: water boils below, strong tea brews above.

Find it inBlack teasTeas from TurkeyRizeTurkish teaÇaydanlıkNo milk

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, "Turkish tea". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_tea
  2. Wikipedia, "Çaykur". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%87aykur
  3. Wikipedia, "Tea in Turkey". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_in_Turkey
  4. 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.