Stairway to Heaven — Edition 1

Welcome, traveller. 

You're holding a set of blends from a single tea producer, arranged from entry grade to pinnacle. This is the full range of what one producer can do, every step arranged for you.

A tea tasted alone is a snapshot. You can enjoy it and describe it. What you can't do is place it. You can't know where it sits in the range or what was sacrificed or gained at that grade. Stairway to Heaven exists to provide that context: every rung is laid out sequentially so the gradient can sing for itself.

By the time you've tasted every level, something will have shifted. Level 1 won't taste the way it did when you started. You'll catch texture, finish, absence — details that were always in the cup, but which your burgeoning senses may not have detected. Let go of your preconceived notions of tea: this is not about like, love, hate, better or worse, right or wrong.

Together, we learn to perceive what is, and allow that to exist.

今度は今度。今は今。

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and…

There are many ways to reach the final step. No approach is wrong.

Ascend sequentially: from 1 → 2 → 3 → X

Each level prepares you for the next; differences between grades are stark because you’re following logical progressions.

The trade-off: you only taste Level 1 when your palate is least developed. First impressions of the early grades may be shallow or instinctual, and once you reach the top, the pull to stay there is strong.

Best for first-time tasters, anyone who wants structure, or those who prefer a clear narrative from start to finish.

Loop & Return — 1 → 2 → 3 → X → 3 → 2 → 1 → etc.

Go up, then return the way you arrived. The descent demands patience and trust that there's something new waiting in what you've already tasted. Yes, it takes longer. More sessions, more tea. But a walk down memory lane may offer new perspectives…

Best for repeat drinkers, those who want depth over distance, or anyone willing to traverse every corner to complete the map.

Choose Your Guide

New to tea? Start with Trail of Notes — First Light. It covers everything from tools to technique — built for someone starting from zero.

Been here before? Start with Trail of Notes — Second Crossing. It assumes you know the fundamentals and speaks to what shifts when you return.