Colombian Tippy Black Tea

A rare, high-elevation black tea from Colombia’s Bitaco Estate, with abundant tippy leaves and a remarkably smooth cup of gentle malt, subtle cocoa, and delicate natural sweetness.

The Experience

Colombian Tippy Black Tea offers an opportunity to experience tea from one of the world's less familiar tea-producing origins.

This pure black tea comes from Bitaco Estate on the western slopes of Colombia's Andes Mountains, where tea grows amid a landscape known for extraordinary biodiversity. The garden sits at approximately 1,500–2,000 meters (5,000–6,500 feet) above sea level, where mountain mist, abundant rainfall, rich soils, and a relatively consistent equatorial climate create distinctive growing conditions.

The finished tea is notable for its large, tippy leaves—young leaf material that gives the dry tea a beautiful appearance and contributes to the refined character of the cup. Once steeped, those leaves produce a clear amber infusion with gentle malt at its center. Light astringency provides just enough structure, while subtle cocoa notes and a smooth natural sweetness emerge underneath.

Compared with the bold strength of many traditional breakfast teas, Colombian Tippy is more restrained and nuanced. Its lighter body and low astringency allow you to explore the character of the leaf itself. Nothing has been added. The malt, cocoa, and sweetness you taste come entirely from the tea.

Tasting Notes

Top: Gentle malt • Subtle sweetness
Mid: Soft cocoa • Refined black tea
Finish: Smooth • Clean • Light astringency
Body: Light

Why You'll Love It

• Pure, single-estate black tea from Colombia
• Grown at high elevation on the western slopes of the Andes
• Beautiful large leaves with abundant tips
• Naturally occurring malt and subtle cocoa notes
• Low astringency and a remarkably smooth finish
• An unusual origin for tea drinkers accustomed to China, India, Sri Lanka, or Africa
• Organic
• Produced by an estate with a strong connection to its surrounding environment and community

Origin, Elevation & Ingredients

Tea Type: Pure Black Tea
Estate: Bitaco Estate
Origin: Colombia
Region: Western slopes of the Andes Mountains
Elevation: 1,500–2,000 m (~5,000–6,500 ft)
Leaf: Large, tippy leaves
Ingredients: Organic black tea
Caffeine: Yes
Body: Light

How to Brew

• 1 teaspoon loose leaf per 8 oz water
• 200–212°F water
• Steep 3 minutes

We recommend trying the first cup without milk or sweetener to experience its gentle malt, cocoa, and natural sweetness.

Perfect For

Single-origin tea exploration, quiet morning or afternoon sipping, coffee and cacao enthusiasts curious about tea, or anyone who prefers smooth black teas with lower astringency.

Tea Growing Beside a Rainforest

The story of Colombian Tippy Black Tea begins in an environment very different from the historic tea landscapes of China or India.

Bitaco Estate sits on the western slope of the Andes in an area of remarkable biodiversity. Its tea gardens are located beside the protected Bitaco Regional Forest Reserve, where the surrounding rainforest supports an extraordinary variety of plants and wildlife.

The estate's environment is characterized by mountain mist, rich soil, and plentiful rainfall. Its location near the Equator also provides relatively consistent growing conditions, allowing delicate tea tips to be harvested and processed throughout the year. The source information for this tea records 256 bird species, 28 amphibian species, 23 reptile species, and 772 plant species within this biodiverse environment.

That makes Colombian Tippy interesting for more than its unusual origin. It allows a tea drinker to taste what Camellia sinensis can become when cultivated in a completely different landscape.

A Tea with a Community Story

Bitaco's story also extends beyond the tea garden. The estate supports the Agricola Himalaya Foundation, established to develop and improve programs for its surrounding community, particularly educational opportunities for local children. Its activities have included initiatives involving educational infrastructure, recreation, local culture, and access to technology.

For us, those details add meaningful context to an already distinctive tea: a Colombian-grown black tea connected not only to its terroir, but also to the community surrounding the garden.

Packaging: Our loose teas are sold by the ounce and packaged in food-grade resealable bags.

Explore Colombian Tea

Taste two remarkably different expressions of tea grown on the western slopes of Colombia's Andes Mountains.

Colombian Tippy Black Tea (This Tea)
Gentle malt • Cocoa • Natural sweetness
→ Best for: discovering the pure, unflavored character of Colombian high-elevation black tea

Colombian Moca Black Tea
Cacao • Roasted depth • Smooth black tea
→ Best for: those who want Colombian black tea complemented by the rich character of cacao