Tea Blog

I can’t recall who first introduced me to the idea that some people have “more money than sense,” but it’s a phrase that came to mind when I previously explored the idea of extremely expensive tea. In this discussion questioning the value of a $1,000 cup of tea, I examined whether such prices can be justified.

That said, I’m not opposed to expensive tea in principle. In fact, I’ve often encouraged readers to consider quality over cost, noting that when you break down the economics of premium tea pricing and cost per cup, even higher-end teas can be more reasonable than they initially appear.

Of course, price and quality do not always go hand in hand. Expensive tea is not automatically superior, and lower-quality tea can sometimes be sold at premium prices. But in this case, the focus is on something far beyond typical high-end teas—tea valued at over $1 million.

At first glance, it might seem that a million-dollar tea would simply be an exaggerated version of an already expensive indulgence. However, this report on a Qing dynasty tea brick sold for more than one million dollars highlights that the value is driven less by drinkability and more by historical significance.

This particular compressed tea, dating from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912), carries considerable collectible value. While it is technically still tea, it is just as likely to be treated as an artifact as it is to be consumed.

That said, certain types of pu-erh tea are known to improve with age, so it is not entirely out of the question that the tea could still offer a remarkable drinking experience. Whether that experience justifies the purchase price—reportedly around $1.24 million—is another matter entirely.

Looking at it from a practical standpoint, even optimistic assumptions about yield lead to staggering costs. If a one-pound tea brick produced roughly 400 cups with multiple infusions, the price per cup would still exceed $3,000.

Which is, by most standards, more than any cup of tea could reasonably be worth.

Still, should the owner ever decide to share a sample, I would certainly be willing to offer a firsthand evaluation.

See more of William I. Lengeman’s articles in this archive of tea-related writing by the author.

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