Organic teas for the mind, body and spirit.

Totem Tea. A retailer of fine quality organic teas and accessories

Browse Our Tea Selection

BLACK TEAS
Assam TGFOP

This lowland tea known for its rich aroma and strong, malty flavour is named after its origin, Assam, in North-East India. Dark and copper-coloured, it is a full-bodied broken leaf black tea that is great for lovers of a strong afternoon cup of tea. The rich flavours are accentuated by adding milk and sugar.

Buckingham Palace

A rather posh tea blend that is served at Buckingham Palace every May for the Queen’s garden party. A marriage of four kinds of black tea; Earl Grey, Assam, Ceylon Pekoe and Serengeti mingle with the soft notes of green jasmine tea for an exquisite cup. Enjoy this tea and be a part of the annual tradition in the west gardens of Buckingham Palace, without having to dress up!

Caramel Latte

A rich blend of coffee beans, black tea, and caramel – curl up and enjoy a hot cuppa! This deliciously sweet coffee and tea blend is flavoured with natural caramel essence and real coffee beans. The coffee flavour nicely enhances the natural briskness of the black tea, and the caramel adds just right right softness to the flavour profile to tie it all together. Great with or without milk and sugar, and absolutely delicious in the morning or after a flavourful meal.

Darjeeling, Darling

This estate tea from the Darjeeling region in India has all the classic hallmarks of Darjeeling tea, a lighter black tea with muscatel notes that is a lovely cuppa in the afternoon.

Earl Grey

A classic Earl Grey blend, combining a Ceylon fruity black tea and a splash of bergamot. The distinctive flavour and aroma of Earl Grey is derived from the addition of oil extracted from the fragrant Bergamot, a small acidic orange native to southern Vietnam. One of the most popular tea blends in the world, it has a light and refreshing taste.

Earl’s Pipe

An Earl Grey blend combined with a smoky Lapsang Suchong, produces a complex, sophisticated tea that is favoured by the serious tea drinker. This unusual blend is great as an afternoon tea, served with scones & cream.

English Breakfast

The naming of this blend did not originate in England as might be assumed, but in the United States. They were making reference to the robust and hearty “full English breakfast’ consisting of heavy fried foods and meat; similarly, the English Breakfast tea blend has traditionally been a blend of robust and flavourful teas.

Irish Breakfast

“What a whiskey will not cure, there’s no cure for!” Same goes for this Irish-strength black tea blend. A very strong and bold black tea blend, with pronounced earthiness and maltiness. Recommended at a long steep, with milk and sugar to bring out the flavours, this is a real winner in the mornings. The smaller leaf grades allow for greater caffeine infusion into the water.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

This spicy blend marries rich cacao nibs with black Indian tea leaves and spicy red chile! This tea is on fire and will become one of your favourites!

Lady Grey

Using a GBOP grade of black tea for this earl grey, and blending it with extra bergamot essence makes creates an infusion especially well suited for fog lattes or for those seeking a strong bergamot flavour in their tea. Much stronger than the classic Earl, with malty notes, and a lively cup.

Lapsang Suchong

A strong smoky black tea. After oxidation, the tea is dried over pinewood fires, which gives it a distinctive pinewood scent, like campfires. An acquired taste in black teas, it is a very popular one in our black tea selection.

Princess Grey

An updated version of the ever-popular Earl Grey, this fresh, stylish blend has creamy vanilla notes that mingle with classic bergamot and top-notch black ceylon tea. A scrumptious blend truly fit for royalty! Enjoyable with milk and sugar or on it’s own.

The Queen’s Guard

A refreshing Earl Grey variation, with pleasing raspberry notes mingled with an underlying bergamot profile. You’ll find it impossible to put this cup down! The aromas are so enticing, you’ll have at least three cups before you finally decide it’s time to get back to work, or you might just take the day off to read and spend time with your new tea love.

Scottish Breakfast

Many people are fans of English Breakfast and its maltier cousin, Irish Breakfast, but the relatively unknown Scottish Breakfast is a real find! Malty, full bodied character with bright flavour and hints of cask oakiness. A bracing Highlander’s cup of tea.

Serengeti Safari

A strong and earthy black tea from Tanzania; milk and sugar or honey is strongly recommended for this one. A blend for those who like a powerful black tea.

GREEN TEAS
Arctic Fire

Created as a special request for a customer, this tea has almost everything! A base of sencha tea, combined with yerba mate, citrus notes, ginger and chile pepper, this tea packs a real punch!

Dragon Pearls

Grown in a mountainous, fog shrouded area at the border of the Fujian and Jiangxi provinces, Dragon Pearls gets its name from the tea bushes “climbing the hillsides like a Dragon rising from the waters”.The tea is plucked in early spring to take advantage of the young leaves, which are most prized.

Dragon Vert

A mild green tea that is slightly earthy and grassy, with background notes of fruit, this is a great tea for novices of green tea.

Earl Green

The smoky flavour of this green tea is married with bergamot and vanilla to create a complex yet delightful cup. Wonderful with milk and sweetener or without, it makes a lovely variation of the London Fog.

Femme Fatale

Chocolate and roses- who knew that combining both in a tea could taste so great? This softly flavoured green tea with delicate rose and cacao nibs is lovely for an afternoon pick-me-up.

Genmaicha

An extremely popular tea that originates in Japan, the legend behind Genmaicha is this: One day a warrior was being served his tea, when his servant Genmai, let some puffed rice he was keeping in the pocket of his tunic for dinner slipped out and fell into his master’s tea. The warrior became enraged,quickly stood up and decapitated his servant with his sword. When he calmed, he took a sip of his tea with the rice and decided it was delicious. As an act of contrition he named the tea after his dead servant, and Genmai-cha was created.

Gyokuro

This exquisite tea is from single buds and is harvested only during March and April every year. The shade grown bushes are often covered with bamboo and straw shading to increase the level of chlorophyll, which in turn makes for a grassier cup of tea. The tea buds are bruised and then steamed, producing dark green leaves that give a slightly pungent tea with great depth of flavour.

Imperial Dragonwell (Longjing)

One of the most famous teas in China. It is said that LongJing tea is the beauty among all tea. Fresh green ‘bird’s tongue’ shaped leaves create a sweet, aromatic, amber liquor with a lightly floral aftertaste. This superior quality tea is from Jhejiang Province, China, and is the preferred drink for many leaders around the world. Longjing literally translates to ‘Dragon Well’ and is a reference to a well which contains heavy or dense water. After a rainfall, the lighter rain water doesn’t mix with the heavier well water, instead floating and slithering about like a traditional Chinese dragon on the surface of the heavy water.

Jasmine Eve

A sweet and delicate blend, just like the girl it’s named after. Prepared by infusing green tea leaves with night-blooming jasmine flowers for several consecutive nights, Jasmine tea is one of the best known China Green teas. Cultivated at altitudes over 1500ft, this popular tea has a clean taste with a subtle yet exquisite aroma.

Jasmine Pearls

Our finest jasmine green tea. Long graceful greenish leaf and slender silver buds are hand rolled into pearls which produce a delicate, aromatic, yellow liquor and a nose that reveals the sweet complexity of jasmine blossom and spearmint. Each pearl combines two delicate leaves and an unopened bud. The tea is scented with jasmine flowers over several consecutive nights. When added to water, the pearls majestically unfurl, releasing their delicate scent and flavour. While not cheap, this tea is well worth the experience.

Kyoto Rose

Sassy and sexy, the intoxicating scent of this premium tea from Japan will delight and impress any green tea lover. Dried cherries, rose petals and natural essences marry with the smooth earthy green sencha to create an unforgettable cup of tea.

Tianmu Ming Dynasty

A superb tea with sweet, almost honey-like notes. Deliciously vegetative with expansive flavour, it is out most popular Chinese green tea.
Its long leaves are gently twisted when processed to create this unique estate tea.

Moroccan Mint

Minty, smoky, and full-bodied, this traditional Moroccan tea is a refreshing blend of Chinese gunpowder green tea and peppermint, and is great for alleviating heartburn. The classic recipe is heavily sweetened with raw sugar or agave nectar, however it is quite refreshing unsweetened as well. Moroccans drink this tea several times throughout the day, and on formal occasions, the tea is ceremonially prepared with beautifully crafted tea ware.

Sencha Kakagawa

Our Chinese Sencha comes from certified organic farms in China. This renowned green tea with its long, dark needle shaped leaves produces a cup with a bright clear liquor and sweet grassy flavour. Less grassy and vegetal then Japanese Sencha, Chinese Sencha invokes soft notes of toasted rice with a delicate, clean finish.

Strawberry Sencha

This very popular sencha blend has the classic grassy notes that mingle with flavours of the strawberry and papaya in this blend. Delicious served iced or hot, with a touch of sweetener of your choice to accentuate the strawberries.

MATCHA
Blueberry

What do you get when you combine the amazing health properties of matcha with blueberries? A tea that tastes as good as it is good for you! This naturally sweetened matcha is amazing made into a latte! Full of antioxidants, you can feel virtuous sipping this delicious blend.

Izu

Matcha tea is kind of like a super-powered green tea: since you’re ingesting the whole leaf instead of just the brewed beverage, you get up to ten times the antioxidant effect and nutritional value of your standard green. Matcha is rich in antioxidants, as well as chlorophyll and fibre, and has been found to have natural mood enhancing effects. All in all, matcha’s got no match when it comes to healthy teas.

Jasmine

This delicate scented floral matcha combines green tea scented with jasmine flowers for a beautiful and exotic flavour, it will sweep you away on a soft scented cloud of floral notes.

Peppermint

Blending together Japanese matcha and peppermint leaves makes for a beautiful green tea blend. This match is great added to a smoothie, but we like it best served iced or blended with ice for an extra refreshing drink.

Pomegranate

Matcha is intensely energizing, mind stimulating and mood enhancing. Our organic matcha blended with finely milled pomegranate will provide a steady energy boost throughout the day without the caffeine crash.

Shizuoka Premium

Our most recent lot of Premium Matcha hails from Shizuoka. Experience the high-quality flavours of this powdered green tea, with smooth texture, subtle grassy notes and a hint of sweetness. This matcha is excellent for daily use and is best prepared as a matcha latte and is delicious with added sweetness.

WHITE TEAS
Bai Mu Dan

Bai Mu Dan literally translates to “white peony’, and is a full leaf white tea, including both the tea leaves and sliver needles. Carefully picked during only a short few weeks in March and April, Bai Mu Dan leaves are plucked from a special tea bush called Narcissus or Chaicha. This delicate tea has a pale golden colour, floral aroma, and a mild smooth taste.

Blue Note

Light and fragrant, the blueberry taste of this tea is delicate, yet satisfying. Our blend enhances and reveals even more of the natural qualities of the tea along with the antioxidants the blueberries provide. Never bitter or overly strong, you can enjoy this tea any time of the day.

Parisian Pear

Evoking memories of misty morning in the mountains of Japan, this delicate blend is enhanced with sweet pear essence. The pear essence comes out remarkably well in both aroma as well as flavour, and the Bai Mu Dan base has the perfect balance to accentuate the pear flavour. Even though the infusion has a pronounced sweet scent, it is still very light.

La Vie en Rose

This blend of organic rose petals and white tea has a silky smoothness that is exquisitely subtle. High in antioxidants and vitamin C, this delicate white tea blend will be the beginning of a long lasting love affair.

Snow Maple

A tea to warm the cockles of your heart. The light and floral notes of this white tea base combine perfectly with maple and enhance the flavour of the leaf. A tea to salute the favourite part of Canadian spring, sugaring off!

Strawberry Fields

A seductively fragrant blend of white tea, rose hips, safflowers, and strawberry essence, with a sweet taste and a fruity aroma. This popular blend uses a base of biodynamic Bai Mu Dan from India, and is an excellent accompaniment to desserts or afternoon tea with scones and strawberry preserves.

Peachy Keen

This new addition to our organic bad mu dan family is destined to become a favourite- the heavenly scent of peach and apricot create a fruity sensation in a cup. This tea is phenomenal when cold brewed as an iced tea in the warmer months, and just peachy served hot as well.

HERBAL BLENDS
Belle Époque

The rich nuttiness of red rooibos is combined with anise and calendula petals for a sweet cup with a strong liquorice flavour. for people who love liquorice, this tea is sure to please!

The Boyfriend

Who needs a boyfriend who gives you flowers and chocolates when you can drink this lovely infusion instead? An herbal blend of apple, papaya, strawberries, cocoa nibs and cornflowers, the sweetly subtle scent of this tea is intoxicating. This tea is best enjoyed lightly infused without milk.

Cloud Nine

This seductive green rooibos blend is a simple combination or organic vanilla and green rooibos from South Africa. It can be served with milk and sweetener or without, it’s smooth creaminess will hook you.

Currant Crush

We have a real crush on the berry forward blend with green rooibos, blackcurrant and cornflowers. This tea is a crowd pleaser served hot with honey or iced with lemon.

Dorian Grey

We created this blend for customers who adore Lady Grey or Earl Grey blends but can’t tolerate the caffeine content. We use a base of red rooibos from South Africa and bergamot oil to create a very satisfying cup of tea indeed.

Eternal Sunshine (Of the Spotless Mind)

A dazzling combination of flowers, fruits, and enticing fragrances, this herbal blend is sure to make you feel the love. It has a sweet floral smell and citrus notes, and the infusion is deep yellow in colour. This blend also make a fantastic iced tea.

Green Rooibos

A light, fresh tasting rooibos which is quickly withered and steamed to prevent oxidation, which allows it to retain its green color. It has a grassy aroma similar to sencha, and tastes mildly sweet. Studies have shown that green rooibos has more anti-oxidants than red rooibos, bringing it closer in line with green tea.

Ginger Lemon Drop

Is a nasty cold putting a damper on your winter fun? Sip an infusion of this wonderful tea with tulsi, ginger and lemon notes to soothe and repair you. This is a greatly comforting blend. The tulsi is an herbal remedy long used in Indian ayurvedic medicine, and combined with antioxidant benefits of green tea and ginger, it will soothe your runny nose and sore throat.

Mango Unchained

This crazy fruit blend is popular with adults and kids alike and makes a super refreshing iced tea. Mango, hibiscus, apple, papaya, pineapple and elderberries create a super fruity blend that cannot be beat!

Orange Creamsicle

This fresh green rooibos is blended with orange and vanilla notes to create a amazing flavour profile that will remind you of your childhood orange vanilla popsicles. Green rooibos from South Africa is less oxidized and lends itself well to more delicate flavour profiles.

Red Rooibos

Rooibos, translated from Africaans to mean ‘Red Bush’, is a green shrub native to South Africa grown only in a small area in the Cederberg region of the Western Cape Province. It is naturally caffeine free, and has been consumed for hundreds of years by the natives of the Cape Town region. Rooibos has a rich red color, with a naturally sweet and slightly nutty flavour, and offers many health benefits such as its antioxidant content.

Red Velvet Cake

Inviting and rich, the warm aroma of chocolate greets you as settle in for a cup of tea. A smooth blend of rooibos and cocoa nibs, this tea is a refined take on the flavour of a moist red velvet cake.

Spiced Maple

A lingering spice softened by sweet maple, this tea is sure to please at any time of the day. The colour, aroma, and flavour profile match incredibly well. A must-try for maple and spice lovers alike.

Swiss Miss

Sweet notes of marzipan and confectionary dominate this red rooibos blend. Citrus notes finish the float profile, and milk is a welcome addition to this sweetly addictive tea!

Why Drink Tea?

After water, tea is the most popular beverage in the world. Its consumption equals all other drinks in the world put together (coffee, hot chocolate, soft drinks, and alcohol).

In many cultures, tea is a drink of choice at high class social events and an important part of local culture. Tea is widespread in most cultures of the Middle East. In Arab culture, tea is a main point for social meetings. In Persian culture, tea is normally the first thing presented to a guest. Possibly the most famous is the elaborate tea ceremonies in Japan. Tea drinking was also a popular ceremony in ancient China and was considered as one of the seven daily important rituals.

The tradition of the English afternoon tea started in the mid-nineteenth century and became essential for the English people. Many commonwealth countries, such as Canada, have adopted this tea culture from the British.

In the United States, 80% of tea is consumed cold, as iced tea, or sweet tea, as it is often called in the Southern states.

Tea has many powerful antioxidants and polyphenols in it. To maximize tea benefits, it is always recommended to use whole loose leaves instead of tea bags, as the quality and flavour is much better. Organic tea, it goes without saying, is superior in flavour and health benefits as it hasn’t been sprayed or washed after harvest in chemicals.

The Health Benefits of Tea

Tea contains antioxidants that protect the body from the negative effects of aging and the effects of pollution.

Tea protects the bones. Tea promotes healthier and stronger bones, protecting people from such diseases as osteoporosis.

Tea promotes a healthier immune system. Drinking tea can help the body’s immune system fight off infection. There is higher immune system activity in the blood of the tea drinkers.

Tea protects against cancer. Today, scientific research has shown that those people who often drink tea have significantly lower risk of cancer. Polyphenols can help prevent the growth of cancer.

Tea increases metabolism. Tea can help burn fat and speed up metabolism. It is an ideal drink for those who wish to lose weight.

Tea also has a positive effect in fighting gum and tooth disease. Tea contains a fluoride component which reduce the main bacteria involved in decay. Tea can also reduce the buildup of bacteria-causing plaque and give you a brighter smile.

About Us

Totem Tea is located in the heart of Saint-Henri, a stone’s throw from the Atwater Public Market and the Lachine Canal. Founded in 2007 as an online business, it grew quickly in the first few years, and when the opportunity came to expand the studio and open a retail location in Montreal specializing in organic teas, the collection of expertly crafted estate teas and custom blends quickly found a dedicated local following too. The current location houses not only the full collection of teas available, but also teaware, beauty products, gourmet items and other special finds.

Founder Julie Pedersen has a passion for tea that she loves to share with her customers. “I believe that fine quality tea should be an everyday indulgence, as well as being accessible to everyone”, she says. She takes an approach that helps educate people on the history of tea and of its’ benefits. “Even before you take a sip, a cup of tea can transport you. It can be soothing, nostalgic, and healing. The ritual of making a pot or cup of tea can be very centering, helping to refocus and relax at the same time”.

With this in mind, she selects her organic teas, spices and botanicals with the hope of making blends that will be enjoyed by all. She loves to source harder to find teas for her clients, who are always delighted to be able to revisit a memory of tea from their childhood or from traveling to distant countries. Nostalgia does play an important part in people searching out that special blend they used to drink, she concedes. “I suppose it’s a combination of memory, history, and perhaps rediscovering their own past that has such a pull to find that special tea”.

Just as the slow food movement continues to offer an alternative to mass-produced, processed food, Totem offers an antidote to artificially flavoured, uninspiring tea blends that are awash in chemicals. Carefully selected, single-origin estate teas are from the finest organic tea gardens in China, Japan, India, Nepal, South Africa, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Malawi, and are exclusively full leaf, entirely organic, and sourced from high elevation gardens. Blends are produced in-house and sometimes even custom-blended on client’s request. Totem teas are certified organic by Eco-Cert Canada. At any given point there are sixty to seventy different teas, tisanes, functional teas and botanicals on offer. Come to visit us and discover!

Visit Us

3467 rue Notre-Dame O
Montreal, QC H4C 1P3

Call Us

514 . 507 . 7525

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