Tea Comparisons

The short answer: choose Gold Black if you want a smooth, gentle everyday cup with malt, caramel and honey that also takes a splash of milk. Choose Ruby Black if you want a bold, dark cup with cherry and cocoa that stands on its own. Not sure yet? Brew both from the Tea Sampler Kit before buying a full bag.

Gold and Ruby are the two black teas in our range made for a morning cup. They come from different farms, at different heights, and they behave differently in the cup. Here is how they compare, using the same details printed on each product page, so you can pick the one that suits the way you drink tea.

What is the difference between Ruby Black and Gold Black tea?

The difference is weight. Gold Black is the lighter, rounder cup: soft malt, light caramel, honey sweetness and a clean finish. Ruby Black is the fuller one: dark cherry up front, cocoa in the middle and a deep, velvety body. Gold is the tea you can drink all day without noticing it is strong. Ruby is the tea you notice.

Where do Ruby Black and Gold Black come from?

Gold Black is grown at 5,500 ft in Malate, in the Ilam district of eastern Nepal, on Farmers Tea Co.'s certified organic farm. Dil Kumar Rai leads the farm with 150 farming families and youth artisans. The golden tips you see in the dry leaf are young leaves picked during the spring flush. The same farm makes all of our green and white teas, so if you already like those, Gold Black will feel familiar.

Ruby Black comes from Sandakphu Tea Estate, on the ridge where Ilam meets Taplejung. The Jasbirey Village community has farmed those slopes for decades, tending bushes by hand between 5,000 and 6,000 ft. Sandakphu is also a certified organic farm. The tea takes its name from the deep ruby-red colour it brews.

Both are single-origin. Each bag comes from one named farm, so you always know where your tea was grown.

How do Ruby Black and Gold Black taste?

Brew Gold Black and the first thing you notice is how soft it is. Malt and caramel sit in the middle, honey sweetness comes through as it cools, and the finish is clean. It is a good first black tea for someone moving over from coffee or from supermarket tea bags, because nothing in it pushes back.

Ruby Black is darker in every sense. The liquor is a wine-like red, the cherry note arrives first, and cocoa follows. The body is thick and smooth rather than sharp. If you like a strong morning cup and drink it without milk or sugar, Ruby is the one I would put in your hand.

Neither tea should taste harsh. If one does, the water was probably too hot for too long. Take the leaves out at four minutes.

How should you brew each one?

The hot method is the same for both: water at 90–95°C, steeped for 3–4 minutes, leaves out promptly. For Gold Black, use 2–3 g of leaf per 240 ml cup. Start at three minutes for Gold if you want it at its gentlest, and go to four for Ruby if you want its full body.

A 5 g portion from the Sampler Kit brews 2–3 cups, so you can try each tea twice and adjust the time on the second cup.

Which one is better with milk, or iced?

If you take milk, start with Gold Black. Its brewing notes list it for drinking as it is, with milk, or over ice. Ruby Black is smooth enough to drink without milk or sugar, and that is how I suggest you try it first, so you can taste the cherry and cocoa clearly.

For iced tea, Ruby is the stronger choice. Cold brew 2 teaspoons in 500 ml of cold water and leave it in the fridge for 8–12 hours. For a faster glass, brew it double-strength at 90°C for 4 minutes and pour it straight over ice. We have written up both methods, with Gold Black alongside, in How to Cold Brew Black Tea.

What do they cost, and which size should you buy?

Gold Black Tea comes in 50 g for $20 or 180 g for $45. Ruby Black Tea comes in 25 g for $10 or 180 g for $45. All prices are in Canadian dollars.

If you already know you like strong black tea, the 25 g Ruby bag is an inexpensive way to confirm it. If you drink black tea every morning, the 180 g bag of either is the better value per cup.

If you want to compare all four of our black teas side by side, the Black Tea Lover Pack ($47.40) has Gold Black at 50 g plus 25 g each of Ruby, Muscatel and Theba Black.

Shipping is free across Canada on orders of $60 CAD or more, and free to the USA on orders over $60 USD. Orders are processed in 1–2 days and sent tracked by Canada Post or DHL.

Which should you buy first?

Buy Gold Black first if you are new to loose-leaf black tea, take milk, or want one tea for every day. Buy Ruby Black first if you already drink strong black tea or coffee black and want a cup with more depth. If you are torn between Gold and our other Ilam black tea, read Gold Black vs Muscatel Black.

And if you would rather not guess at all, the Tea Sampler Kit ($30) includes both, along with eight more teas from all four of our farms.

Frequently asked questions

Is Ruby Black Tea stronger than Gold Black Tea?

In flavour and body, yes. Ruby Black is the bolder, fuller cup with dark cherry and cocoa. Gold Black is softer, with malt, caramel and honey. Both are brewed the same way, at 90–95°C for 3–4 minutes.

Are Ruby Black and Gold Black organic?

Both come from certified organic farms: Gold Black from Farmers Tea Co. in Ilam, and Ruby Black from Sandakphu Tea Estate on the Ilam–Taplejung border.

Which is better with milk?

Gold Black. Its brewing notes list it for drinking as it is, with milk, or over ice. Ruby Black is best tried without milk first, so its cherry and cocoa notes come through.

Can I try both before buying a full bag?

Yes. The Tea Sampler Kit ($30 CAD) includes 5 g of each, along with eight other teas. Each 5 g portion brews 2–3 cups.

Do you ship Ruby Black and Gold Black to the USA?

Yes. We ship across Canada and to the USA. Shipping is free in Canada on orders of $60 CAD or more and free to the USA on orders over $60 USD. Orders are processed in 1–2 days.