A London hotel is now selling the most expensive cup of tea in the UK - and possibly the world - at $1000 per person
White gloves, a sterling silver tea pot and steaming hot mineral water gracefully falling into a fine teacup. That is what $1000 of tea looks like.
Infused into the brew is a rare tea bud from a slow-growing bush in the highlands of Sri Lanka, called golden tips. Each one hand picked at sunrise, hand dried, shipped to London and meticulously checked by tea fanatic Dan Silva.
"You can imagine how many days it has taken to produce that [pot] from a handful of tea bushes, which is what really makes the price of golden tips as high as it is," Silva says.
You are not just paying for a cuppa, you are paying for an experience. Looking out at Buckingham Palace, the tea arrives in a locked box. Delicately handled with golden tweezers and weighed so the flavour is always spot on. It is steeped for three minutes exactly, poured and strained, ready to unleash on your taste buds.
It has been on the menu at Rubens at the Palace for around a month and it is growing in popularity.
"What better location than right by Buckingham Palace, overlooking the Royal Mews, everyone is welcome, especially the Kiwis," said Rubens Hotel manager Malcolm Hendry.
It is not just about the cup of tea, it is also about the afternoon tea. You can try out the same recipe as Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding cake.
Watch the video above.
Newshub.
