Tea for Coffee Drinkers

January 10, 2026

This edition of the newsletter is sponsored by

Hello readers,

Happy New Year!

As we step into the first days of 2026, I find myself sitting with a warm cup of tea, reflecting on the incredible community we’ve built together. There is something profoundly hopeful about a fresh calendar, a sense of quiet potential that feels very much like the first steep of a rare oolong.

I want to start this year by expressing my deepest gratitude to each of you. Whether you have been with Tea Journey since the beginning or joined us just this past season, your curiosity and passion for the leaf are what keep our stories brewing. Thank you for being the heart of this publication.

As we look at the year ahead, I am particularly moved by a shift I have been noticing in the beverage world. We often talk about the “rivalry” between tea and coffee, the cut-throat fight between the two for being a consumer’s choice of caffeination and share of throat. However, lately, that line feels more like a bridge. I have just written and published an article that I think many of you will find fascinating: Could 2026 be the Year Coffee Drinkers Embrace the Tea Leaf? In the article, we explore why so many dedicated coffee lovers are finally finding their way to the gaiwan. It’s not about choosing sides; it’s about a global desire for mindfulness, nuance, and a different kind of energy. Seeing these two worlds converge gives me so much hope for a more connected, intentional 2026.

I hope this year brings you moments of stillness, vibrant health, and, of course, many perfect cups. I am so honored to be on this journey with you.

Don’t forget to share the stories with your friends, family, colleagues, or anyone who you feel would enjoy reading them.

Yours in tea,

By Bhavi Patel

Could 2026 be the Year Coffee Drinkers Embrace the Tea Leaf

Coffee sharpened modernity; tea preserved tradition. Together, they expand the map of taste. As 2026 begins, Tea Journey invites coffee drinkers to explore tea not as a rival but as a frontier.

Think about it. Do coffee and tea really have to mutually exclusive? Can’t they peacefully co-exist in a consumer’s day (and night)? Do we gain more by making the other side go down or in rising together?

If you look at the coffee flavor wheel used for cupping, one of the notes mentioned on it, if I remember correctly, in the floral bracket is ‘black tea’. I have bought coffees that list “Earl Grey”, “Jasmine tea”, and even “tea-like finish” as tasting notes/descriptors. So, it would be safe to say that in some ways, tea does play a part in tasting and experiencing coffee as well.

So, for anybody who is open to the possibilities, let’s share the share-of-throat.

While you ponder on this, do check out our article on how culture shapes how we experience tea (and food in general):

By Horacio Bustos

The Culture of the Sense: Tea and the Sensory Experience

A POV on how our senses of sight, smell, and taste are educated and shaped by cultural context, revealing that tasting tea is a culturally cultivated skill, and not instinct

Another interesting read I have for you is about hunting for a unique aroma. I don’t what to give out too much, so check out the article here:

By Nicole Wilson

Looking for that Special King of Duck Shit Aroma?

Highly-sought Phoenix wulongs mimic fruits, flowers, and herbs to delight the senses with uncanny aromas. Nothing is added.

I am stepping into 2026 full of hope and dreams, I am sure you are too. And, we have some great content coming up on Tea Journey, as always.

If you aren’t already, please follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
It means a lot to us!

Until next time.

Bhavi Patel, Editor, Tea Journey Magazine

Bhavi Patel, known as Banjaran Foodie, is the editor of the Tea Journey Magazine and a distinguished tea and coffee expert with a background in dairy technology and brand building. As a trusted writer for renowned publications including Perfect Daily Grind, Barista, and STiR Magazines, she combines scientific expertise with storytelling to explore specialty beverages.

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Bhavi Patel

Bhavi Patel, known as Banjaran Foodie, is a distinguished tea and coffee expert with a background in dairy technology and brand building. As a trusted writer for renowned publications including Perfect Daily Grind, Barista, and STiR Magazines, she combines scientific expertise with storytelling to explore specialty beverages.