Every spring since 2003, Camellia Sinensis’ team of tasters returns to the tea-growing regions of Asia to select the finest lots from the year’s harvest.
These journeys are at the heart of our approach. They allow us to strengthen lasting relationships with our producer partners, gain a deeper understanding of realities on the ground, and ensure a supply that remains faithful to our standards of quality and freshness. Being present in the gardens, workshops and manufactories gives us direct insight into the evolution of the industry and the challenges faced by those who cultivate and craft our teas.
Here are the 2026 travel plans for our team.
Kevin Gascoyne and François Marchand
26 March – 18 April
This spring, Kevin will be the first taster to leave for Asia, heading to India at the end of March. He will be joined by his fellow taster and partner François Marchand, who will be responsible for photo and video content during the trip, as well as their friend and filmmaker Jean-François Michaud, who will also contribute to content production.
The journey will begin at the Tea Studio, our tea factory nestled in the Nilgiri Mountains in southern India. There they will meet several partners involved in the project, including Muskan Khanna, Director of Production, along with the all-female production team. This stay will offer an opportunity to deepen discussions around their current realities and challenges, explore a possible transition to organic certification, and taste the latest batches produced.
The trio will then travel to Kolkata for some tasting of early batches, before heading to the Darjeeling region in the Himalayas to select the 2026 Darjeeling First Flush teas for our catalogue. The journey will continue to Puttarjhora, where the base tea for our Organic Earl Grey is grown, and then to the state of Meghalaya, to the Lakyrsiew garden. There they will present the 2026 Award of Excellence to the team who, over the past few years, have crafted remarkable teas for us.
Jasmin Desharnais
17 April – 8 May
In mid-April, Jasmin will travel to China for an exploration and sourcing tour. He will be accompanied by Emylou, his daughter, and Tom and Camille, the managers of our Emery and Jean-Talon boutiques.
The programme includes several visits to wulong terroirs, notably in Anxi for Tie Guan Yin and in Feng Huang for Dancong. These stops will allow the team to taste the new productions and refine our selection directly with the producers.
The team will also travel to Yixing to renew our range of teapots by working directly with our partner potters. A visit to a matcha whisk workshop is planned, along with a stop in Dehua to explore new porcelain objects.
The trip will also include a tour of green tea gardens, including those producing Anji Bai Cha, Long Jing Shi Feng and Huiming. Jasmin also plans to meet the artisan behind our new Chinese matcha —an exchange that promises to be particularly inspiring and will help deepen our understanding of this rapidly evolving production.
Hugo Americi
15–30 May
Hugo will travel to Japan accompanied by Sébastien, first work colleague to celebrate 20 years with Camellia Sinensis. This journey is partly a way of recognising his exceptional commitment, but also an opportunity for him to reconnect with the Japanese farmers and partners he worked with for many years while responsible for sourcing.
This year, visiting our matcha producers carries particular significance. The global popularity of matcha has profoundly transformed the Japanese tea industry, creating new pressures on production and supply. Being on site will allow us to take the pulse directly with producers, discuss the current situation and explore together ways to maintain a steady and high-quality supply.
The stay will also be dedicated to selecting the finest sencha, kabusecha and gyokuro. Tasting on site gives us access to a broader range of lots and strengthens our relationships with the farmers. These encounters are essential for better understanding their realities, their work and the evolution of their practices.