Every cup tells a story, of people, places, and traditions steeped over centuries. And on May 21st, we celebrate all of it. Recognised by the United Nations as International Tea Day, it’s a global cheers to tea’s power to connect cultures, support communities, and offer a moment of calm in the everyday.
So in true Dilmah style, we’re taking you on a journey — no passport required. Just put the kettle on and come with us, from Ceylon to Kyoto, Kolkata to Casablanca, here are eight different ways people around the world drink tea!
1. 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka: Exploring Sri Lanka's Rich Ceylon Tea Heritage
The heart of Dilmah and the home of Ceylon tea. With tea grown in the highlands, packed at origin, and nurtured by generations of Sri Lankan tea makers, this tea tells our story and builds our legacy. Ceylon tea is known for its bright colour, brisk flavour, and deep character, a direct result of where and how it’s grown.
Try this: 85 Reserve Ceylon Tea, Watte Single Region Teas
2. 🇯🇵 Japan: Japanese Tea Ceremony & The Art of Matcha and Mindfulness
In Japan, tea is a practice of grace and mindfulness. Whether it’s a formal matcha ceremony (chanoyu) or a daily cup of sencha, Japanese tea culture reflects wa (harmony), kei (respect), sei (purity), and jaku (tranquility), the core values of the traditional tea ceremony.
Try this: Green Tea with Jasmine, t-series Sencha
3. 🇮🇳 India: Masala Chai, India's Beloved Spiced Tea Tradition
In India, chai is part of the rhythm of life. Served on street corners, in homes, and on trains, chai is brewed strong, mixed with spices, milk and sugar, and always shared. It’s hospitality in a glass, and every family has their own recipe.
Try this: Spiced Chai
4. 🇨🇳 China: Oolong Tea & China's Traditional Brewing Practices
China is where tea was born. Oolong tea sits between green and black, known for its complex flavour and long tradition of Gongfu-style brewing, a patient, precise ritual that allows the tea to open across multiple infusions.
Try this: Single Estate Oolong, Oolong with Ginger
5. 🇲🇦 Morocco: Moroccan Mint Tea, A Symbol of Hospitality and Culture
In Morocco, mint tea is a symbol of hospitality and warmth. Green tea (usually gunpowder) is steeped with fresh mint and sugar, then poured high into small glasses to create a bit of foam. It’s traditionally served three times, each with its own meaning: life, love, and death.
Try this: Green Tea with Moroccan Mint
6. 🇹🇷 Turkey: Turkish Tea Culture, Brewing Traditions and Social Rituals
In Turkey, tea (çay) is brewed double-strength and poured into tulip-shaped glasses from a two-tiered pot called a çaydanlık. It’s served everywhere, at all hours, from barbershops to business meetings, Turkish people consume an average of 1,300 cups of tea per person per year. No wonder it’s almost always refilled!
Try this: Extra Strength Ceylon, Ceylon Supreme
7. 🇦🇷 Argentina: Yerba Mate, Argentina's Communal Tea Ritual
While not technically tea, yerba mate is a traditional South American infusion worth mentioning. In Argentina, it’s sipped from a gourd through a metal straw (bombilla) and passed between friends. The ritual is about trust, sharing, and conversation, values we think tea people will relate to.
Try this: Green Tea with Lychee and Ginger (a great herbal nod to the yerba mate vibe)
8. 🇬🇧 England: Afternoon Tea in England: A Timeless British Tradition
No global tea journey would be complete without a nod to the British tradition of afternoon tea. Whether it’s scones and clotted cream or just a cheeky biscuit, the practice of pausing mid-afternoon for a proper brew is one the world has embraced.
Try this: English Breakfast, Earl Grey
Make It Your Own: International Tea Day Traditions
International Tea Day is a chance to connect to global stories — and to write your own. So whether you’re steeping solo or hosting a full afternoon tea, take a moment to:
- Try something new
- Share your tea moment on social using #InternationalTeaDay and #DilmahTea
- Reflect on the hands behind the cup
Explore the Teas in Your Tasting Tour
🍃 Green Tea Collection – Japan & Morocco
🖤 Ceylon Black Teas – Sri Lanka, Turkey
🌸 Herbal Infusions – Argentina-inspired
🧁English Breakfast – The name says it all
🍑 T-Series & Luxury Teas – Premium blends, global inspiration
Final Sip
Tea is how we pause. How we gather. How we honour culture and craft. On May 21, let’s raise our cups not just to the drink itself, but to the world it connects.
From bush to brew — your kettle’s already halfway there.
