Tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world and is drunk for both enjoyment and many benefits of it. Tea is drunk both hot and cold and even used to flavor food. Interestingly enough, there are different varieties of tea available far beyond what is available in your local store. Normally, those who consider themselves to be tea lovers will drink only the finest of these varieties. So, here are five of the most expensive teas in the world.

Da-Hong Pao Tea – $1.2 million per kilo

It is hard to imagine that tea leaves can be worth a million dollars. But, a kilo of Da-Hong Pao Tea leaves is valued at $1.2 million. It is mainly because this type of tea dates back to the Ming Dynasty. Moreover, it has been declared a national treasure by the Chinese government. It is usually given as a gift to important individuals such as honorable people, and celebrities. However, the process of making Da-Hong Pao Tea remains a secret tightly guarded by the Chinese.

Tieguanyin Tea - $3,000 per kilo

Tieguanyin is a type of Oolong Tea that is named after the Iron Goddess of Mercy, a Buddhist Deity. It is a combination of black and green teas that are fermented to give a distinctive flavor that sets Tieguanyin apart from other varieties of Oolong. An interesting fact is that drinkers can use the leaves to make drinks up to seven times before they will begin to lose their flavor. The trees are grown on the highest mountain in the Fujian Province. Tieguanyincosts $3000 for one kilogram.

Panda Dung Tea - $70,000 per kilo

This famous and intriguing tea is usually sold for around $200 per cup. And that doesn't stop people to still drink this special tea from an animal excrement. It is probably because of the fact that Panda feeds only on wild bamboo of which they absorb about 30% of its nutrients. The remaining 70% that is being excreted goes into the tea. But, there’s a twist to this fascinating tea story. The tea is not actually made from pure Panda dung as the tea tree is just fertilized with it.

PG Tips Diamond Tea Bag: $15,000 per tea bag

British tea company PG Tips wanted to do something spectacular to celebrate its 75th anniversary. So they decided to create ultra-luxe, diamond-studded tea bags that retailed for $15,000 each. Each tea bag contains 280 diamonds on the outside. Moreover, it is filled with Silver Tips Imperial Tea. It is very interesting that this tea is regarded as the most expensive Darjeeling tea in the world.

Narcissus Wuyi Oolong Tea Box - $6,500 per kilo

This Wuyi province in China lays claim to many expensive teas, including this Oolong. The tea is very expensive and rare. What makes this particular box special is its Mona Lisa-like journey. It started from sale in Wuyi to Singapore and from then being passed around until it was bought by a rare tea collector and returned to Hong Kong. If you’re a tea professional, a tea enthusiast, or simply someone who wants to learn more about tea, you'll definitely find the most expensive teas list interesting. For more interesting tea stories, make sure to visit Teabloom.