High Caffeine

Every tea from the tea plant has caffeine, but not all teas with caffeine hold the same amount. This collection gathers high caffeine teas, each here for a clear reason. Some were shaded before picking, which raises caffeine in the new shoots. Some were picked mostly as buds and the youngest leaves, which hold more caffeine than older leaves and stems. Others come from the large-leaf plant, which tends to carry more than the small-leaf one.

With any caffeinated tea, how much leaf, how much water and how long you steep can change the cup more than the tea itself. Brewed Western-style, most of the caffeine comes out in the first infusion. For a morning cup instead of coffee, start here. For a gentler cup, browse our low caffeine teas.