O5 Tea

Most people overlook it.
But Vietnam is one of the oldest, wildest, and most biodiverse tea origins on Earth.

And we’ve been quietly obsessed with it. 🍃
Want to know why? Swipe to find out.

For the full story behind every tea we carry —
farmers, origins, and all

Leave a comment and I’ll send you the discount link within 24 hours!
The discount ends on April 30th.

The best matcha we’ve ever tasted.

One farmer. One field. Once a year.

And it will change the way you think about matcha. 🍵

Tag a friend who needs this in their life. 👇
See all four matchas and order online — link in bio. 🔗

Cherry blossoms are blooming in Vancouver 🌸
It’s the perfect time for green tea 🍵

𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗮 (煎茶) is the most popular Japanese green tea,
making up about 80% of Japan’s tea production.

Made from early spring leaves,
sencha is steamed, rolled into fine needle shapes, and dried —
resulting in a cup that’s fresh, vibrant, and full of life.

You might notice Japanese green tea looks greener than others.
That’s because of how it’s processed:

🌿 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗱 (𝗝𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻) → brighter green, oceanic, umami-rich
🌰 𝗣𝗮𝗻-𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 (𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮) → lighter color, nutty, gentle

Neither is better — just different expressions of the leaf.

Some teas take it even further:

𝗞𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮 is shaded for about a week,
developing deeper color and richer umami.

𝗚𝘆𝗼𝗸𝘂𝗿𝗼 is shaded even longer (3–4 weeks),
creating one of the most refined, sweet, and full-bodied green teas.

—

🍃 Now in store:

• 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗬𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗚𝘆𝗼𝗸𝘂𝗿𝗼 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
• 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
• 𝗚𝘆𝗼𝗸𝘂𝗿𝗼 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗼 𝗖𝗵𝗮
• 𝗬𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗮 (𝗞𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗶)
• 𝗬𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗮 (𝗢𝗸𝘂𝗵𝗶𝗸𝗮𝗿𝗶)

Come by and taste the season 🌸🍵

Gyokuro Shincha

20% off this week.

To our team at O5, smoked tea is not simply a flavour—it is a transformation of time, fire, and leaf. Across the world, smoke has long been used to preserve and perfume tea, yet in Japan this practice remains rare, almost quiet. It emerges not from tradition alone, but from curiosity—an artisan’s instinct to bend convention without breaking it. In Saitama, where Sayama tea is shaped by colder climates and slower growth, the leaves themselves hold density, storing umami and structure. This depth becomes the perfect canvas for smoke: not to dominate, but to reveal.  Yes… even in ‘Smokumidori’ (more on that below) once go go past the first couple of steeps.
Sayama tea, often described as “rich in taste” (味の狭山茶), owes its character to thick, nutrient-dense leaves cultivated in one of Japan’s northernmost tea regions. The harsher winters slow growth, concentrating amino acids and creating a tea of weight and persistence. This inherent structure allows Sayama tea to withstand—and even welcome—processes that would overwhelm more delicate origins. In recent years, small producers in Iruma and Tokorozawa have begun experimenting with smoked expressions, gently infusing finished teas with aromatic woods, sometimes even using whisky barrel chips to introduce layered, rounded smoke. The result is striking: a tea that carries both the clarity of Japanese green tea and the evocative warmth of fire, where sweetness and smoke move in parallel rather than conflict.
Here go two examples that we love.  Try whisky bombon for an elegant, well balanced integration of wakoucha and whisky barrel smoke.  Try Smoke-Umidori for bolder, Islay-whisky like experience; for this tea, consider very short steeps in the beginning, and longer ones as soon as the tea reveals more caramel notes.
Since we are here, please also consider another similar creation from Malawi!  If the Japanese versions are reminiscent of whisky, this one reminds us of Irish whiskey cream.

Beautiful day in Vancouver ☀️
Perfect time for a cold kombucha.

Current flavors:

🟣 Dream – A vivid blue tisane
Bright in color, gentle in flavor.
Unexpected and refreshing.

🟡 Awa Bancha （阿波晚茶）– Japanese fermented tea
A gentle tang, slowly unfolding into honeyed sweetness.
Layered, mellow, and quietly complex.

🔵 Tie Guan Yin (鐵觀音) – Oolong tea
Floral depth with a rounded finish.
Balanced and layered.

Available now at O5.
Stop by and take one home.


•
𝗢𝟱 𝗥𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗿
📍2208 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC
604-558-0500
Mon–Thu: 12:00–18:00
Fri–Sat: 12:00–20:00
Sun: 12:00–19:00

𝗥𝗮𝘄 𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗶𝗽𝗲 — 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴?

Pu er belongs to China’s dark tea category —
but these two styles are surprisingly different.

🍃Sheng (Raw)
Naturally aged, bright, and evolving over time.

🍂Shou (Ripe)
Fermented, smooth, and ready to enjoy.

Different in color, aroma, and taste —
they offer two completely different experiences.

Think of it this way:
Sheng is bright and evolving,
Shou is smooth and grounding.

Come try both at O5 🍵
and see which one you’ll fall for.

•
Discover more tea stories on our IG profile

𝗢𝟱 𝗥𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗿
📍2208 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC
604-558-0500
Mon–Thu: 12:00–18:00
Fri–Sat: 12:00–20:00
Sun: 12:00–19:00

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 — 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮. 🍃

Vancouver just experienced snowfall,
yet somehow spring already feels close.

This 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗻𝘆 (𝗕𝗮𝗶 𝗠𝘂 𝗗𝗮𝗻) comes from the very first spring harvest, made from the tender “𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗱, 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀” that emerge as the tea plants awaken from winter.
The silvery buds rest among the soft green leaves, their fine down catching the growing daylight. In the cup its clear amber hue hints at a flavour that is fresh, gentle, and naturally sweet.

🧑‍🌾 𝗧𝗲𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 - 𝗠𝗿. 𝗠𝗲𝗶 𝗫𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗷𝗶𝗻𝗴 梅相靖

This White Peony tea comes from the hands of Mr. Mei Xiangjing, one of the most respected figures in Fujian’s white tea tradition.
Recognized in 2013 as a National-Level Representative Inheritor of Fuding’s white tea craft, he has spent more than fifty years refining the art of making white tea.

𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧!

#白牡丹

📷
•
Discover more tea stories on our IG profile
𝗢𝟱 𝗥𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗿
📍2208 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC
604-558-0500
Mon–Thu: 12:00–18:00
Fri–Sat: 12:00–20:00
Sun: 12:00–19:00

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗕𝗬 𝗛𝗮𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 🍃

To celebrate our newest kombucha culture,ca hosting a small Kombucha Tasting Pop-Up at O5.

Come explore three new flavors,
each brewed with tea and crafted for balance, aroma, and refreshing depth.

Whether you’re a kombucha lover or just curious,
this is a great chance to taste something new with us.

[𝗣𝗼𝗽-𝗨𝗽 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁] Kombucha Tasting

📅 April 22, 2026
⏰ 5pm – 8pm
📍 O5 Rare Tea Bar

Drop by, have a sip, and discover your favourite.



•
𝗢𝟱 𝗥𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗿
📍2208 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC

Ishimoto San’a kancha, 2026

New Arrivals 🍃
Kombucha Growlers by

Our 64oz growlers are now available in-store —
perfect for sharing, or not sharing at all.

Current flavors:

🟢 Dragon Claw – Vietnamese White Tea
Fresh, light, and quietly floral.
New to the lineup.

🟣 Dream – A vivid blue tisane
Bright in color, gentle in flavor.
Unexpected and refreshing.

🟠 Hojicha – Japanese roasted green tea
Toasty, smooth, low bitterness.
Comforting and easy to sip.

🔵 Tie Guan Yin (鐵觀音) – Oolong tea
Floral depth with a rounded finish.
Balanced and layered.

Available now at O5.
Stop by and take one home.

𝐀 𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧

Before we talk about as a dining experience,
We want to introduce the teas of the region.

This vast area is known for and
with natural sweetness, clarity, and depth.

High altitude air, long sunlight hours,
and cooler temperatures shape teas that are aromatic, smooth, and beautifully layered.

Many carry a distinct high mountain freshness,
soft floral notes, and natural fruit tones, a quiet complexity that lingers rather than overwhelms.

These are the kinds of teas that inspire us
As we explore Assam and its surrounding regions
their landscapes, ingredients, and ways of eating.

Our upcoming Assam gathering is rooted in this world:
a region where food and tea are shaped by altitude, climate, and time.

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐚 × 𝐎𝟓 𝐏𝐨𝐩 𝐮𝐩
⧫ 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: Saturday, February 22nd
⧫ 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 7:00 pm
⧫ 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: O5 Rare Tea Bar
⧫ 𝗧𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁: 🎟 Tickets via O5 IG highlights

Learn more about the experience on our website
•
𝗢𝟱 𝗥𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗿
📍2208 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC
604-558-0500
Mon–Thu: 12:00–18:00
Fri–Sat: 12:00–20:00
Sun: 12:00–19:00