Tea Tasting London: Learn to taste like a professional

Two Hours, Six Teas, 300 Years of Blending Secrets

You spend two hours at Twinings' London flagship tasting six tea types with a guide who explains the plant's journey from field to cup and teaches you how professionals taste. Welcome tea is included, and you leave understanding what makes one tea different from another, and why that matters.

Step-by-step itinerary

Twinings 2-hour tea tasting masterclass

• Arrive at Twinings flagship store
• Learn tea history and origins
• Discover tea plant journey
• Taste six categories of tea
• Learn professional tea slurping

The experience

"So where exactly does this leaf come from?" That's the question the Twinings masterclass answers in the first ten minutes, and it changes how you'll drink tea forever. You're at 216 Strand in central London, the flagship store, and the session runs two hours straight through: no rushing, no cramming. The guide walks you through the tea plant's actual journey: from the gardens where it grows to the moment it hits your cup, and all the decisions that happen in between.

The tasting itself is methodical. You'll work through six categories (white, yellow, green, oolong, black, and pu'erh), and the guide teaches you how professionals actually taste, which involves a technique called slurping that feels awkward until you understand why it works. Each tea tastes completely different, and you're not just sipping. You're learning what "quality" means in tea, why origin matters, how oxidation changes everything. A welcome tea opens the session, and then the real tasting begins. The store's been doing this for 300 years, and that expertise shows in how the guide explains the difference between, say, a Darjeeling and an Assam. It's not flowery language, it's actual chemistry and geography.

The location matters too. Being at the actual Twinings flagship on Strand puts you in the middle of London's West End, so you can walk straight out afterward to the Thames, Covent Garden, or anywhere else. Public transport is right there if you need it. The whole thing is designed as a gift experience: people book it for tea lovers, foodies, anyone who wants to understand what they're drinking instead of just going through the motions.

What’s included

Your two hours include a welcome tea when you arrive, tasting samples of white, yellow, green, oolong, black, and pu'erh teas, and instruction from a guide who walks you through the tea plant's journey from garden to cup and teaches you how professionals taste.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 11:30 and 15:30

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Under 18: can't be booked

GroupUp to 5

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Pets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by R Twinings Ltd.

Is this one for you?Right for tea drinkers who want to understand what they're tasting instead of just enjoying it by habit, or for anyone looking for a focused gift experience in London. Two hours is enough time to move through all six teas without feeling rushed, which is what makes the learning stick.

Traveler reviews

4.87★★★★★★★★★★

165 verified traveler reviews

5 ★150

4 ★12

3 ★1

2 ★1

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

How long is the Twinings tea tasting masterclass?

Two hours.

What teas do you taste?

White, yellow, green, oolong, black, and pu'erh: all six main categories.

Where is the masterclass held?

At the Twinings flagship store at 216 Strand in central London.

What's included in the price?

Welcome tea, tasting samples of all six tea types, and instruction from the guide.

Do I need tea experience to join?

No. The masterclass is designed for tea lovers and beginners alike.

Is there parking or public transport nearby?

Public transportation options are available nearby. The store is in central London.

Can I bring a service animal?

Yes, service animals are allowed.