We would like to introduce you to The East India Company’s Tea Master, Mr Lalith Lenadora. Using his extensive knowledge and experience, Lalith personally selects each tea in our carefully curated tea library.

His passion for tea started from when he was a young boy and at the age of 18 he started as a tea planter on one of the finest tea plantations in Nuwara Eliya in his native Sri Lanka. With over 30 years of working with tea, Lalith has built his encyclopaedic knowledge and gained a wealth of experience in some of the great Sri Lankan tea estates which has helped him develop an innate understanding of and expertise in the seasonal qualities of tea.

He says, “In Sri Lanka I had the opportunity to taste a variety of delicate teas in my early life and when I was at the height of my career I used to taste over 200 cups a day. That itself is the secret to my passion for tea!” Lalith’s appreciation for tea has defined his career, “With my extensive knowledge from the roots of the tea bush to brewing a fine cup of tea, I believed that I could do my bit for Sri Lanka and the world wide tea industry when I brought my expertise to the UK and proudly took up the post of Tea Master with The East India Company. ”

The East India Company was one of the very first regular importers of tea to Britain and, as such, was instrumental in popularising tea in Britain. The Company placed its first tea order in 1664 and today it stocks over 120 authentic, seasonal, rare and exclusive teas. The Company has a direct relationship with the tea estates it works with, and its teas are some of the freshest available as they arrive in its stores and online just 28 days after the leaves have been picked on the tea estates. Today, Lalith ensures that The East India Company offers premium quality teas with a consistency of taste, aroma and flavour throughout the year.

Lalith also regularly holds tea tasting sessions and events at The Company’s flagship store in Mayfair, London. These sessions take you back to where it all began, when China had the world’s monopoly on tea, and then how this beverage has travelled through the centuries to become one of Britain’s most infamous traditions. Learn the differences between white, green, oolong and black tea, discover the best way to brew a truly bewitching cup, and experience some of the most exclusive teas in the world. Led by our Tea Master, Lalith, his guided tasting session is sure to delight and surprise.

If you would like to join Lalith for a tasting session or host a tea tasting event in our flagship store , please contact our events team. In the meantime, why not browse through our extensive selection and try one of our delightful fine teas.