Tea Drunk

Since moving to New York, I never expected to find the quality and variety of teas that I was accustomed to in Shanghai (and all in one shop!). Until I discovered Tea Drunk.
The staff is always accommodating and informative.
The quality of the loose tea leaf is unparalleled by by any shop in New York and the specificity of information of each tea on the menu lends to an unsurpassed learning experience.

Tea Drunk, where one can indulge in an immense range of tastes and aromas, from passionfruit, shortbread, Italian sausage, Tonka bean, to smoked mulch (in the fondest sense), somehow all derived the same plant, Camellia Sinensis. Depending on the method of production, the tea plant varietal, the season in which the bud/leaf was picked, the weather, and the terroir, the resulting loose leaf tea can have a vastly different flavors. How do I know all this? The owner of Tea Drunk sources the teas directly from the farmers on her annual trip to China, where she lives and works alongside the farmers, to learn more and more about each tea she offers on the menu, in turn to provide this information to any interested tea drinker looking to delve deeper into their tea-ducation.
Dylan, the friendly tea barista is always up to guide me through the nuances of what I am drinking and to let me in on each processing step required to produce every category and subcategory of tea. His refined palate provides a fun second opinion and his unrivaled brewing skill is evident in each fairness pitcher he fills.

Tea Drunk is what one would call a high tea kind of place without the tea sandwiches. They serve tea tastings that are very pricey, but you are paying for the experience of a host catering to you, explaining the types of tea and how the tea leaves are harvested. I liked the idea of the tea tasting more than the actual tasting because the atmosphere was a bit too quiet and sterile. Good for people who want to become tea connoisseurs and impress a date who is worth the $20 per person tea experience.