10 Unique Tea Flavors From Around The World

Are you obsessed with tea and always on the hunt for different varieties to try? Even if you've visited the best local tea shops in your area, you're unlikely to have come across the world's most unique tea flavors. Coming from a range of different countries and areas steeped (literally) in local traditions and age-old brewing processes, the most unique teas across the globe have different origin stories, preparation methods, and flavors behind them.

Whether you're interested in finding the wackiest teas you can possibly get your hands on or learning all about the rarest tea flavors in the whole world, we've rounded up a list of the most one-of-a-kind teas you'll ever hear about. From Tibet to Canada, no stone (or tea bag) has been left unturned. If you're daring enough to try (or at least read about) tea with the word "s***" in its name, then read on for the 10 teas any tea enthusiast should try at least once.

Ya shi xiang literally means "duck s*** aroma," which is not exactly an appetizing name for a tea. If you haven't heard of it before, you'd probably be surprised about its popularity — but the unique name actually drives more buyers to try it. Despite the drink's title, it is not made of duck excrement, nor does it taste (or smell like) poop. In fact, the drink is often floral, sweet, and even creamy in flavor. Different batches of this kind of tea will have different flavor notes — though generally, they all have some sort of flowery, sweet taste to them. 

The story behind the name of this specific type of tea is that it is grown in Phoenix Mountain, China. There, every individual tea tree can adopt uniquely different flavors and aromas, all of which are harvested and processed into varied teas. It is said that the soil that the trees grew in was similar in color to duck poop, and thus the farmers who harvested this tea tree decided to give it an unappetizing name to prevent anyone else from stealing and selling the leaves off the tree. The tea was apparently so delicious that the farmers worried others would try to cultivate it, too. Whether or not this story is true is somewhat of a tossup, but it does make for an interesting legend. Fortunately, the secret about duck s*** tea being delicious is now officially out, which means that you have a relatively wide range of purchasing options. 

Butter tea, or po cha in Tibet, where the drink originates, is exactly what it sounds like: tea mixed with butter. The tea in question is typically strong, black tea, traditionally made from a tea brick of compressed tea herbs that can be broken off in bits for use and made in Pemagul, Tibet. Customarily, butter tea uses yak butter, as yaks are native to Tibet and are also domestic animals there. The tea is also combined with salt before serving. You can probably already predict what it tastes like: rich, creamy, salty, and buttery, with a slight hint of black tea.

The goal of this tea is to be a warming and fatty drink to help boost energy during the long winter. For this reason, not everyone who tries butter tea loves it — and even those who swear by it can admit that it's an acquired taste. To add to the novelty, if you do end up getting the chance to try authentic butter tea from Tibet, you might find that the yak butter being used in the tea is rancid due to it being left out in the open. Many people believe that this actually adds to the flavor of the tea — though you'll find that it does taste, well, rancid, for lack of a better word.

Don't worry, though — if you're not interested in trying butter tea with spoiled yak butter, you can also try the tea with fresh yak or cow's butter instead. This unique kind of tea is easy to make at home with regular butter since it's unlikely you'll have easy access to yak butter. Just don't forget to follow our storage tips for butter — or do so if you'd rather try the rancid version. 

Black, green, and white teas are actually made from the same plant — camellia sinensis — just at different stages in the growth cycle or with individual preservation processes. The same goes for yellow tea, which is the rarest kind of tea in existence. Yellow tea is grouped into three categories based on the size of the pickings: buds, small leaves, and the largest leaves. Think of it as a gentler, even more refreshing version of green tea; it carries light sweetness and may also present mild floral or honey notes.

Some types of yellow tea can date back to as early as 202 BC in China, during the Han Dynasty. The rarest type of yellow tea — Jun Shan yin zhen — is grown and produced on an island that is only one square mile in total, and there is only one person on earth who knows the secret to making it. His knowledge is so valuable that he receives money from the Chinese government to continue producing the tea with the help of a small staff. Unless you're a diplomat visiting China, you probably won't have the opportunity to try authentic Jun Shan yin zhen tea — though small amounts do circulate on the market occasionally.

Yellow tea is different from other types of tea because of its production process. The exact production process varies (and, in some cases, is kept secret), but yellow tea leaves are generally slightly fermented while wrapped in paper or cloth. 

Popular in China, Pu-erh tea is often sold in brick or cake form (so the tea has to be broken off in order to be used), though you can also find it as loose-leaf tea. Pu-erh is either aged (raw Pu-erh) or fermented (ripe Pu-erh) before it's ready to be used, but the time it takes to age and ferment is what makes Pu-erh tea truly unique. Some ripe varieties will only ferment for a few weeks total, while raw Pu-erh can be aged for over 50 years — longer than even a fine vintage wine. As you can probably imagine, this also makes the most-aged varieties of Pu-erh stronger, more flavorful, and much more valuable. Some common Pu-erh flavors include smokiness, bitterness, an earthy or vegetal taste, and even a slight sweetness in longer-aged varieties. Some say that poor-quality Pu-erh can even taste like fish.

However (also akin to an aged wine), not everyone loves the taste of Pu-erh. Because it has been fermented, it is often described as bitter or overpowering. The taste is too strong for many. Those who drink it, however, prize it for its complex, rich flavors that are quite literally unlike any other tea in existence. Pu-erh tea can change greatly depending on what the tea brick is composed of and how long it's been fermented. There's a lot to learn about Pu-erh tea — generally, however, you'll find that Pu-erh is a rich, herbal tea with many tasting notes — both light and strong.

Yerba mate is a drink with a fascinating history. It was first brewed in South America, where it is still an immensely popular drink today, especially in Argentina. The Guaraní people (Indigenous peoples in certain parts of South America) first brewed the drink, though it is now drunk all over the world. It's made from, naturally, yerba mate — a tree under the same genus as holly.

Yerba mate is a highly herbal drink with caffeine. In fact, it's traditionally served with the yerba mate leaves still swirling around in the cup. This makes the drink very bitter. Its vegetal-tasting base centers mostly around earthy and grassy flavors, though there's room for other tasting notes, too — like light hints of citrus or other fruits. 

Many people claim that yerba mate provides a much more natural, energizing effect for them without the side effects of regular coffee (like jitters and anxiety). Some say that yerba mate boosts their mental health and calms them down. And for many, drinking yerba mate is fun because it can be a social activity, too — there's an established drinking ritual for yerba mate. It's often drunk with friends or family. The first cup is consumed by the person who made the drink, and then the drink is passed to the next person at the table. You'd typically drink the tea through a metal straw with a small filter at the bottom to catch the tea leaves, and everyone you're drinking with will share the same straw with you.

This tea, which originated in the 18th century, got its name because it would travel in camel caravans from China to Russia (since Russia wasn't suitable for growing tea). It was a long journey for this tea to arrive in Russia — over 6,000 miles, in fact. Because the trip would take so long, the caravans would, of course, have to make many stops to light fires, eat, warm up, and rest. Over the course of the trip, the teas would slowly be exposed to smoke from the campfires the caravans created. This imbued each of the Russian caravan teas with uniquely smoky flavors that made it richer.

Russian caravan tea is typically made from a black tea mix, which can vary slightly from brand to brand. Since it no longer travels thousands of miles by caravan, the tea has to be given its signature smoked flavor another way. Typically, the most common kind of tea present in Russian caravan tea is lapsang souchong — the tea leaves are actually smoked in order to give it its well-known flavor. This is why lapsang souchong is so often used in Russian caravan tea; by nature, this tea is smoked over wood. The final result is a rich tea blend that's slightly sweet, smooth, and reminiscent of the campfires its history was marked by.

You're probably already thinking (or maybe hoping) that worm dropping tea is just a name to attract attention — like duck s*** tea. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Worm dropping tea, known as chong shi cha in China, is made from real worm droppings. However, many who try the tea (even those who are understandably apprehensive about it) say it's actually quite good. You're likely to get an earthy and herbal taste from the tea. Due to the worm droppings present, you may also find a rocky mineral taste in this tea. Medicinal flavors are also common depending on the kind of tea used, and you might feel a cooling sensation in the mouth.

To get the worm droppings, a container of herbs and old tea leaves is left to ferment. As the leaves become more and more fermented, they start to attract bugs, who will arrive to eat away at the tea leaves. These bugs then lay their eggs inside the container of tea leaves. Once the eggs have finally hatched, the tiny larvae consume the rest of the herbs as they grow and leave their droppings behind. Once there are enough droppings, it's time to dry them out. Then, tea leaves and honey are fried with the droppings. 

The idea behind worm dropping tea is that the bugs eat very strongly flavored (often medicinal) tea leaves, and the flavors and properties also transfer to their excrement. Whether the supposed rewards are worth the price of drinking bug poop is hard to say. 

Awa bancha is a unique Japanese tea. It's made from typical tea leaves, but the entire tea plant is picked, so no leaves are left on the plant. This means that the leaves for this tea can only be harvested once each year. Once picked, the leaves are fermented for up to a month before they are removed from the fermentation jar or barrel and dried to be used for tea.

The fermentation process is what makes this tea the most unique. Essentially, as they ferment, the leaves are being pickled. This makes the tea taste a bit sour, without any bitterness or vegetal notes. If you're a big fan of pickled foods or love the taste of classic homemade kimchi, Awa bancha will probably be a huge hit for you. Some people find it a bit too sour for their taste, however, as it's definitely not quite the same flavor profile as a typical cup of tea might have.

Because the tea is fermented, it does have probiotic benefits. Like sauerkraut and kimchi, the gut benefits are a positive aspect for many.

Labrador tea is not just the name of a drink; it's also the name of the plant, Bog Labrador Tea, native to Canada and the northern U.S. In fact, the plant was named partially for the drink it makes — a tea that was first used by the indigenous people for medicinal purposes. For many, the taste of Labrador tea is like black tea with pine tasting notes. This woodsy flavor can be fresh and crisp, but some people say they experience subtle bitterness or warm spices.

If you try this tea and end up liking it, you'd best be careful not to drink too much of it. Overconsumption of this plant can lead to serious ill effects — in fact, if you drink enough, it could possibly kill you. Other side effects can include vomiting, gut trouble, and lowered inhibitions. It might even cause paralysis.

While these are serious side effects, most sources can agree that drinking a small amount generally isn't harmful to most healthy people. Though, you should probably stay away if you're pregnant or have kidney issues. In some cases, it can even be good for you since it helps with inflammation. However, it's always best to consult a medical professional if you have any concerns before consuming this drink.

Luo han guo tea, or monk fruit tea in English, is exactly what its name implies in both languages: a tea made from monk fruit, which is native to southern China. You've probably already heard of this fruit before, though you might not have had the chance to try it in its fruit form. Monk fruit is commonly used as an alternative sweetener, often repped as a healthier alternative to sugar.

As you can probably imagine, the tea made from this sweet fruit is also very sweet. Some say that it tastes like it's been sweetened with honey. You'll find a slightly fruity flavor present in the notes of the tea, and those who try it often say the tea is actually very refreshing.

To make monk fruit tea, the monk fruit is first opened to expose the flesh of the fruit and then boiled for some time (usually at least 20 minutes). The longer the monk fruit is boiled, the stronger the tea will become — so if you're making it for the first time, be sure to give it a taste or two during the process.