Tea and America may seem unlikely companions, yet a quiet revolution is brewing. The Charleston Tea Garden in South Carolina, the largest tea plantation in the US, produces bold, black teas with a distinct malty warmth, whereas Hawalian-grown oolongs benefit from the mineral-rich volcanic soil, yielding floral and honeyed notes. Beyond these established regions, small farms in Oregon and Mississippi are experimenting with unique cultivars, challenging the notion that tea belongs solely to the East. For tea lovers, these American-grown leaves offer a new way to experience terroir.
 
A future column will review the first transatlantic tea blend made with 
UK and US tea, blended at the request of the UK Government.

How to serve

Steep Charleston breakfast tea (loose leaf) at 95°C for 3-5 minutes.

Where to buy

Charleston Tea Garden sells 65g for $10.95 (about {9).
UK shipping starts from £25 (00 1 843 559 0383; www. charlestonteagarden.com).

Jonathon Jones tastes tea and exports English-grown tea worldwide.