Loose Leaf Tea Buying Guide & FAQ
Last updated September 2026.
Fezziwig's Marketplace has hand-blended and sold loose leaf tea from our shop in O'Fallon, Illinois for over 18 years, sourcing organic and Fair Trade Certified leaves from tea-growing regions including Yunnan, China and Shizuoka, Japan. Below are answers to the questions we hear most often from customers choosing a loose leaf tea, whether picking a first blend or restocking a favorite. Browse our full loose leaf tea collection to shop, or read on for guidance.
What is the best loose leaf tea for a beginner?
For someone new to loose leaf tea, a classic black tea blend is the easiest starting point because it's familiar in flavor and forgiving to brew, unlike a delicate green tea that can turn bitter if left to steep too long. Fezziwig's English Breakfast, a blend of Ceylon, Assam, Java, and Darjeeling teas, is a reliable first choice: it's robust and malty, and works well with milk, honey, or on its own. Earl Grey Creme, organic high-grown estate black tea hand-blended with bergamot and a touch of French vanilla, is another good starting point and one of Fezziwig's best-selling teas year-round. Both are forgiving to steep and give a true sense of what loose leaf tea offers over tea bags: fuller flavor and leaves that can often be used for more than one cup.
What's the difference between black, green, oolong, and herbal loose leaf tea?
The difference comes down to how the leaf is processed, with herbal tea as the exception since it isn't made from the tea plant at all. Black, green, and oolong all come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis; black tea is fully oxidized, giving it a bold, malty flavor, like Fezziwig's Golden Yunnan, an Organic Fair Trade Certified black tea from Yunnan, China. Green tea is unoxidized and lighter, like Fezziwig's Japanese Sencha, harvested each fall in Shizuoka. Oolong falls in between, partially oxidized, and can typically be steeped four to five times, as with Fezziwig's Bao Zhong Oolong. Herbal tea, like Fezziwig's Blueberry Hill, contains no tea leaf at all, just fruit, botanicals, and spices, which is also why it's naturally caffeine-free.
What is Fezziwig's most popular loose leaf tea?
French Breakfast is Fezziwig's number one selling proprietary tea, a Fezziwig's exclusive blend of organic fair trade certified black tea leaves with a touch of French vanilla. Colonial Williamsburg, a fruit-forward blend of cranberry, blueberry, raspberry, orange, and apple, is a stated year-round top seller that works both hot and iced. For chai specifically, Almond Silk Chai is a consistent top-10 seller, combining roasted almonds, pears, and classic chai spices with white tea.
Which of Fezziwig's teas are organic or Fair Trade Certified?
Certification varies by blend rather than applying across the whole tea line, so it's worth checking a specific tea rather than assuming. Golden Yunnan, Masala Chai, Earl Grey, and French Breakfast are each made with Organic Fair Trade Certified black tea leaves, called out directly in their ingredient lists. English Breakfast uses organic cultivation for its black tea component specifically. Fezziwig's oolong teas, including Bao Zhong and Iron Goddess of Mercy, are also organic. If organic or fair trade sourcing matters for a purchase, the ingredient list on each product page states exactly which certification applies.
Can loose leaf oolong tea really be steeped multiple times?
Yes. Oolong is only partially oxidized, which leaves more of the leaf's structure intact than fully oxidized black tea, letting it release flavor gradually across several infusions instead of all at once. Fezziwig's Bao Zhong Oolong, its lightest oxidized oolong, can be steeped four to five times, developing more depth with each pour rather than going flat. This also makes oolong a good value per ounce, since one serving of leaves yields several cups rather than just one.
What loose leaf tea works best as iced tea?
Fruit-forward black and herbal blends tend to hold up best over ice. Colonial Williamsburg (cranberry, blueberry, raspberry, orange, apple) and Coach & Four (cinnamon and orange) are both described as working hot or cold, and Coach & Four in particular is popular as a refreshing iced tea in warm weather. For a caffeine-free iced option, botanical blends like Blueberry Hill are naturally suited to steeping strong and pouring over ice.
How should loose leaf tea be stored to stay fresh?
Loose leaf tea stays freshest in an airtight container, kept away from light, heat, and moisture, and away from strong-smelling foods or spices, since tea absorbs odors easily. Stored this way, most loose leaf tea holds its best flavor for about 6 to 12 months after opening, though it won't spoil the way food does, it will simply lose some aroma and flavor intensity over time. A cool, dark cabinet works better than a spot near the stove or in direct sunlight.
Looking for something savory instead of sweet, or need your morning coffee too? Read our Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar Buying Guide & FAQ or our Whole Bean Coffee Buying Guide & FAQ.