What's the tea?

From traditional brews to beginner-friendly blends, ChaYi brings Chinese tea culture to a new generation of drinkers

- JANE KINGSU-CHENG Photos by JARED JOHN K. CHENG

When I first heard about ChaYi, a tea shop in Lucky Chinatown Mall in Manila, I knew I just had to go and try its drinks. That visit led me to meet Winchell Tan, one of the three brothers behind the shop, who credits their father for introducing them to tea at a young age.

“When I was a kid, I would always watch my dad brew tea, and that sparked my curiosity,” Winchell tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. “I became interested in tea but could never find the same kind of high-quality teas in the Philippine market.”

His travels to China opened his eyes to a world of premium, flavored tea leaves—many of which he personally selected to be part of ChaYi’s drink menu. Among the choices are Oriental Jasmine which carries floral notes reminiscent of our national flower Sampaguita, Osmanthus tea that is known for its light, delicate aroma, and White Peach Oolong, which offers a fruity profile with a subtly creamy finish. “It has a light and refreshing taste while still preserving the essence of real tea,” he says, explaining why it’s their bestseller.

It also happens to be his personal favorite, Peach Harmony. “It’s the tea that made me fall in love with modern tea drinks when I first tried it abroad,” he shares. “That experience inspired me to bring this concept to my own brand.”