Revised for 2023! Now part of The Whistling Kettle's Tea University, we're happy to present our recommendations for those new to the world of tea.

Maybe your doctor said to drink more tea for anti-oxidants or your just looking to cut down on sugary drinks and try something new. Whatever the reason, tea is an excellent choice and is the worlds most popular beverage after water. Buying tea from a grocery store may be the easiest option, but you would be missing out on some of the most flavorful teas that are out there. If you are going to take the plunge into the world of tea, we highly recommend going with loose leaf. It's easy to make, more cost effective than tea bags and the flavor is truly the next level. Without further ado, here are our top 10 teas for beginners who want to start off strong.

If you are looking for something in the morning that is perfectly balanced between strength and drinkability, this perennial favorite cannot be beat! If you've never tried tea before, this is a great place to start. English Breakfast was the original British tea that started the whole category of breakfast teas - it's that good! Try it with milk and a dash of honey.

What screams summer better than vine ripened peaches and juicy strawberries? Loaded with flavor, an exceptionally health way to hydrate. Once you try fresh loose tea iced, you'll never go back to bottled tea! Just brew a cup of tea with half the water and pour over ice. You can also cold brew tea overnight or use an iced tea brewer.

High in caffeine and bold in flavor, this unique blend is considered a great coffee substitute. Enough caffeine to get you going, but say goodbye to the caffeine crash. It blends seamlessly into your morning routine, pairing easily with any breakfast and makes a great latte with milk and sweetener. One sip and you might never go back!

If you ever tried grocery store green tea, you probably found it bitter and not exactly great tasting. Well, forget what you thought of green tea. This green tea is full of anti-oxidants, plenty of real fruit pieces and bursting with flavor that will make you forget about your grocery store tea experience. The key to loving green tea is only steeping for 1-3 minutes! You'll be guaranteed a smooth cuppa with no bitterness.

Forget over sweetened sugary concentrates, this Chai is as authentic as it gets. Masala Chai is made with traditional Indian spices like ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. It's spicy, bold, and invigorating. Whip it up with some milk a dash of sugar/honey/or natural sweetener - a great afternoon pick me up and an easy tea for beginners to make.

Earl Grey is as traditional as it gets, but with natural cream flavoring, this brings the Earl Grey experience to a whole new level. This is the ideal tea for beginners who want an exquisite, high-tea flavor profile. You'll instantly feel like royalty. Earl Grey Cream is the tea to serve to guests for that 'wow!' factor.

Based on South African Honey Bush and Rooibos, this lemon-vanilla-cream centered blend makes it a great evening elixir. You may have tried Rooibos in the past that was watery or bland. But we assure you this Rooibos tea is a completely different experience with it's bright citrus flavor and dessert-like aftertaste. It has enough zest to be an all-day favorite.

No - it doesn't have any milk added! Cooling the leaves rapidly after picking results in a pleasant, naturally creamy taste. And like many other fancy teas, you can steep this many times over and is best enjoyed straight up without milk or sweetener. This is one of the best teas for beginners looking to taste something as complex and alluring as wine or chocolate.

Chock full of healthy herbs, the addition of Chaga mushroom brings a new dimension of health. Chaga is believed to help reduce stress levels, and we all could use some help with that these days! It grows in Northern forests and slowly accumulates anti-oxidants and many nutrients. In case you were wondering, this doesn't taste like mushroom broth. Rather, it absorbs the flavor of our herbs beautifully. And caffeine-free to boot!

This was a hard one, since there are a lot of healthy teas out there. There's a tea for every need, but Greek Mountain is our favorite for long term, overall well being. Greek Mountain tea is a wild grown tea in the Mediterranean region that has an impressive list of health benefits. In fact, it's a tea consumed by some of the longest living people in the world. Sip this sweet, light tea any time of day and start planning for your hundredth birthday.

Of course, the teas listed above are only the starting point. But a great way to try them out is to pick up a few of our tea samples. We recommend a Steepster infuser or our all natural paper disposable/compostable tea bags. The biggest feedback we get is 'I never knew these types of teas existed!'. You'll find that once you start down the path of premium loose leaf teas, there is no going back! Need help or suggestions on tea for beginners? Our friendly staff is available for live chat or we respond to inquiries within a few hours.