SPONSORED EDITORIAL

We start the day with them, they keep us warm and comfy at work and they join us for good-old chinwags with family and friends.

A good old cup of tea has been woven into the fabric of society in Britain since the 17th century and despite not inventing this famous hot beverage, the British Empire was instrumental in ‘being mother’ for the rest of the world.

So were we ever in any danger of losing our way in the last 20 years with the emergence of caffeine-fuelled libations like double espresso frappuccinos or vanilla lattes from those supersonic coffeehouses we see on every corner?

For some, like Master Tea Blender Alex Probyn - who owns bespoke tea blend company Blends for Friends, the answer is simply no.

So much so, that he has opened up his company doors and rolled out the red carpet for all to see his extraordinary tea facility in the picturesque surroundings of Kemsing village in Sevenoaks.

“Tea went a bit through the doldrums in the nineties and early 2000s while coffee enjoyed some good times,” said Alex - whose successful global business works with companies of humble beginnings to big global players in the tea market.

“But things have changed very dramatically in the last decade and even more so in the last few years. The general perception of tea has shifted and people are constantly looking for more quirky and interesting beverages like tea.”

Since the company’s inception back in 2006, Blends for Friends has brewed up an astonishing 25,000 to 30,000 unique recipes of tea.

And with just under 600 different base ingredients of tea from across the world, a beautiful tasting room to enjoy a special cuppa and the ambience of modern country-life, Alex and his staff are ideally placed in the garden of England for people to become totally immersed in the therapeutic world of tea - whether it’s with friends, family or even a corporate event.

You can even blend your own unique tea or tailor-make one for a friend or loved one as a gift.

“Everything we do has the core of being bespoke; it’s unique blends for unique businesses and people,” he continued.

“But at the same time, anybody can come along to slurp lots of tea, try different teas and understand more about tea in a very informal, fun and interactive way.

“People today are generally willing to try new things and willing to pay a little bit extra in return for quality.”

But it’s not just about being e-tea-quette. Afterall, tea out in the countryside in 2018 shouldn’t just be associated with Chinese porcelain tea sets of Earl Grey coupled with plates of delicate cucumber sandwiches amidst the backdrop of a Miss Marple mystery.

Today, tea is trendy, vibrant and in so much abundance of variety that you can lose count of what you’ve tried.

“Whether our visitors want a chocolate fudge cake blend, a classic English breakfast blend or a super greens blend, then we can accommodate them and have a bit of fun in the process.”

“If people walk away being able to bore others at the dinner table on the subject of tea, then my mission is done.”

To find out more about tasting events at Blends for Friends, click here.