Special Awards

For the tea farm/estate/garden/company demonstrating community empowerment, economic regeneration and a commitment to uplift the welfare of the people dependent on tea for their livelihood.

For an exciting new garden/region/producer demonstrating imagination and innovation in tea cultivation and/or manufacture.

For those putting sustainability at the heart of the farm/estate/garden and demonstrating outstanding environmental stewardship.

For the bold, brave, creative tea producers developing successful experimental teas and/or demonstrating innovation within the industry.

The Leafies strives to highlight the best practice in the tea world and in what is still a predominantly male-led industry we would like to celebrate the women who are challenging the norms and leading the field in female representation. Women make up most of the workforce in tea production and as 2026 is the International Year of the Woman Farmer, it the perfect inaugural year for this award. This award is open for nominations for women working in any part of the tea industry, who are leaders themselves and/or empowering and improving the conditions and opportunities for other women.

The ETP Responsible Tea Sourcing Award recognises small tea brands that are taking meaningful steps to improve outcomes in their tea supply chain. The award celebrates responsible sourcing initiatives, programmes, partnerships, and practices that demonstrate a commitment to making a positive impact in addressing some of the key issues in the tea supply chain. Entries may relate to areas such as supplier engagement, worker/farmer wellbeing, environmental sustainability, or broader responsible sourcing efforts. The category has been developed specifically to recognise smaller brands that may not have dedicated sustainability teams or significant buying power at this point in their journey but are still committed to playing their part in improving outcomes across the tea sector.

One of The Leafies highest accolades for an estate or individual who is well established, highly respected and has made a significant contribution to the advancement of tea knowledge and appreciation. It embodies the qualities of all the other Special Awards, demonstrating a long term commitment to pioneering tea culture, community initiatives and a tireless dedication to environmental regeneration.

The ultimate tea award chosen from among all the category Gold winners. This is one of the highest scoring teas of the whole week and is voted on by all the judges as the most outstanding tea of The Leafies that year. The tea will generally win on its quality and flavour, but the story behind the teas will also be available to the judges, so in the event of close contenders, this may also have some bearing on their decision. The tea that wins Best in Show will be available to buy from the Fortnum & Mason Rare Tea Counter at their flagship London store.