Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

About Our Teas

1. How do you source your tea?

Leo, the founder and owner of Tea and Whisk, personally travels to Southeast Asia to source the finest teas from China, Taiwan, and Japan. He focuses on small farms rather than large-scale operations because smaller farms typically prioritize quality over quantity. On average, he visits 50-80 farms per year to find the best teas.

2. What do you consider a premium tea?

Premium tea is a subjective term, but Leo has refined his palate by tasting over 50,000 teas since he started. He samples about 20 teas per day and constantly compares them to similar types to determine their true quality. Additionally, he relies on input from top tea regulars to curate the best selection of teas.

3. Why do some product names include “Improved” or “Updated”?

• Improved – This means we found a much better quality tea for the same price. We continuously search for better sources.
• Updated – This means we received a new batch with a similar but not identical quality. Since we work with small farms, they do their best to match the quality we have previously offered.

4. Why does Tea and Whisk only source from China, Taiwan, and Japan?

Leo speaks fluent English, Chinese, and intermediate Japanese. By focusing on these three countries, he leverages his expertise to find the best teas without language barriers. Instead of expanding to other countries, he believes in mastering his strengths in these regions.

Ordering & Shipping

5. How long does delivery take?

We are still a small company, so our handling time is 2-4 business days before shipping. After that, delivery times depend on your location:

• West Coast: 1 business day
• Midwest: 3 business days
• East Coast: 5 business days

6. Do you ship internationally?

At the moment, we only ship to Canada. We are growing slowly to balance travel, sourcing, and research to bring you the best teas.

Wholesale & Tea Club

7. Do you offer wholesale?

We do limited wholesale because we source from small farms with limited quantities. Since we are always improving our tea selection, our batches are not always consistent, but our goal is for them to get better every year.

8. Why is the Tea Club always out of stock?

Our Tea Club is exclusive and limited to 25 members. Unlike many online tea clubs that try to expand as much as possible, we focus on maintaining a high standard by offering rare and unique teas that are not easy to find.

If you’ve been ordering from us for a while and are interested in joining, feel free to reach out! If a current member cancels, we may consider adding you.

The Future of Tea and Whisk

9. What’s next for Tea and Whisk?

We are always learning and evolving. Many of our customers have been with us since 2016, watching us grow from a café to a traditional tea house that educates the community about premium tea.

Leo spends almost 3 months each year traveling to find the best teas to share. Our goal is to elevate tea culture in the U.S. and help more people appreciate high-quality tea.

10. How can I follow Leo’s tea journey?

For now, Leo is most active on Instagram. Follow @teaandwhisk on Instagram to see his latest tea adventures.