Smith Teamaker

Steven Smith co-founded Stash, which his company describes as the world's first specialty tea company, then created Tazo and sold it to Starbucks. In 2009 the signature blends of Steven Smith Teamaker were born in a Northwest Portland blacksmith's shop, and he chose the plain word teamaker over tea master. The company's teaworks now sits at 110 SE Washington St on the Central Eastside, the nerve centre where small batches are blended and dispatched, with a tasting room at the front for whoever walks in.

Everything is sold in tins, and the list on this page shows the range of the house: Lord Bergamot, its Earl Grey, at 14,99 US$ the 2.5 oz; an Assam from 16,99 US$ the 3 oz; a Sencha at 21,99 US$ the 3 oz and a Bai Mu Dan white at the same price for 1.5 oz; a Keemun at 29,99 US$ the 3.5 oz; and a 40 g tin of matcha at 34,99 US$. Several of the Chinese and Taiwanese lots, from Long Jing to a Phoenix oolong and a shou pu-erh, were out of stock on the day we read the prices, which is what small batches look like from the outside.

There are two more rooms. The one at 500 NW 23rd Ave serves handcrafted teas, lattes and iced drinks with pastries, and pours flights to drink there or teas to go; the third is past security at PDX airport, open from four in the morning. Both tasting rooms can be booked for events. The company has since opened flagship stores in Japan, in Shibuya and Yokohama. Online orders ship ground for 5,99 US$ on small baskets and free from 55 US$, with 30-day returns.