A torn leaf gives one cup. A whole leaf, rolled in the orthodox way, gives two, three, sometimes four — each one a slightly different account of the same hillside. If you are discarding the leaves after the first pot, you are reading the first page of a letter and setting it down.
Why the second steep is different
The first infusion draws what sits at the surface of the rolled leaf: the top notes, the perfume, the first bright statement. As the leaf opens fully, the second infusion reaches deeper — more body, more texture, the quieter notes that were folded into the roll. Many drinkers find the second steep the most complete cup of the session: the aroma has settled, and the tea has arrived.
The habit is simple. Pour the pot empty each time — leaves left standing in water go bitter. Steep again while the leaves are still warm. Add a little time with each infusion, and stop when the leaf has said what it has to say.
The teas that repay it most
The gently-handled teas hold the most in reserve. Our spring oolong and the two whites are made for this way of drinking.
Spring Moonshine Oolong — three to four infusions.
90°C
Water
4g
Leaf / 150ml
3–4 min
First steep
+1 min
Each steep after
White Wonder · Silver Needle and Moonlight Summer White — three infusions or more; the buds open slowly and reward the wait.
80°C
Water
4g
Leaf / 150ml
4–5 min
First steep
+1–2 min
Each steep after
The black teas of the collection give an honest second cup as well — brew them as their tins direct, and simply steep a minute longer the second time.
The second steep asks only one thing of you, and it is the thing the whole leaf was made to teach: patience.