Spire & Leaf

Our Story

Steeped in Oxford Tradition

Born beneath the golden spires of one of the world's great cities, Spire & Leaf is a tribute to the art of the perfect cup — unhurried, considered, ceremonial.

We source only whole-leaf teas from high-altitude estates, selected by hand each season. Every blend carries the character of its origin: the mineral chill of Darjeeling mornings, the smoky depth of Lapsang hillsides, the floral brightness of First Flush Assam.

Oxford gave us a love of things done properly. We brought that rigour to tea.

Rare Estates

Countries Sourced

100%

Whole Leaf

The Collection

Select Blends

Twelve expressions of extraordinary terroir. Each one a different chapter of the same story — told slowly, in quiet cups.

Signature · Black Tea

Oxford Earl Grey

First flush Darjeeling, bergamot blossom, cornflower.

£18 · 100g Whole Leaf

Single Origin · Oolong

High Mountain Wulong

Alishan, Taiwan. Orchid, cream, honeydew.

£24 · 50g Whole Leaf

Rare · White Tea

Silver Needle

Fujian province. Dew, white flower, melon.

£32 · 30g Whole Bud

Ceremonial · Matcha

Ceremonial Matcha

Uji, Japan. Umami, grass, sweet finish.

£28 · 30g Stone-Ground

The Ceremony

The Art of the Perfect Cup

A great cup of tea is an act of attention. Water temperature, steeping time, the weight of the leaf — each variable shapes the final expression. We believe the ritual matters as much as the result.

The Water

Fresh, filtered, drawn just below the boil. Different teas demand different temperatures — we include a guide with every order.

The Measure

One generous teaspoon per cup. Whole leaves expand; they need room. Never compress the leaf.

III

The Steep

Time is the final ingredient. Three minutes for black, two for oolong, four for white. Trust the timer.

The Pause

Set the cup down. Let the steam rise. This is the part most people skip — and the part that makes all the difference.

The City

Rooted in Oxford

From the lantern-lit libraries to the mist across the meadows at dawn — Oxford is a city that makes time feel different. Slower. More deliberate. Spire & Leaf is made for exactly that quality of moment.

"There is something about a cup of tea at the end of an Oxford afternoon that puts the world back in order." — A don, Christ Church, c. 1952

Spire & Leaf packaging — premium tea tin

Oxford Earl Grey

The Signature Blend

Our Earl Grey begins with a first-flush Darjeeling base — light-bodied, muscatel, with the characteristic bright astringency of the Himalayan spring harvest.

To this we add cold-pressed bergamot oil from Reggio Calabria and dried cornflower petals. The result is softer than a traditional Earl Grey — more nuanced, more suited to afternoon light and a quiet room.

Packaged in hand-finished kraft tins with a matte gold seal. A considered object.

Whole Leaf Ethically Sourced 100g · 40 Cups Oxford Made

Shop the Collection

What People Say

In Their Own Words

★★★★★

"This is the tea I didn't know I'd been searching for. The Earl Grey is extraordinary — I've stopped buying anything else."

— H. Ashford, Fellow, Merton College

★★★★★

"The packaging alone is worth a mention. But it's the Silver Needle that truly stunned me — nothing like the supermarket version of 'white tea'."

— C. Pemberton, Curator, Ashmolean Museum

★★★★★

"I've been drinking tea every day for forty years. Spire & Leaf reminded me it can still surprise you."

— M. St. Claire, High Street, Oxford

Steeped in Oxford Tradition