10 of the world’s most expensive teas specifically for tea connoisseurs

Valued around a whopping $1.2 million per kg, Da-Hong Pao tea is the most expensive tea in the world grown in the Wuyi mountains of Fujian province of China and declared a national treasure for its rarity. During former US President Nixon’s official visit to China, founder of the People’s Republic of China Mao Zedong gifted him 200 grams of Da-Hong Pao symbolising peace and friendship between the two nations.  

A type of oolong tea, its history goes back to the Ming dynasty. The name Da-Hong Pao translates to ‘Big Red Robe’ and according to the legend, the Chinese emperor of the Ming Dynasty donated his robe to get a jar of this oolong tea to help his ailing mother.  

The best Da-Hong Pao tea comes from the mother trees, only six of which exist on the planet. Around 20 grams of Da-Hong Pao tea from the mother plants were sold for about $30,000 in 2005, making it the highest auction record.