It was the best selection box I'd ever received. Not a whiff of saccharine chocolate bars in garish wrappers; rather 12 slim metal tubes brimming with leaves and flowers rich with exotic fragrance. And the names were so beautiful they'd make you melt: Thé des Songes, Fleur de Geisha, Blue of London, Thé des Sables.

The gift box came from Le Palais des Thés, the third specialist tea emporium to open in Dublin in the past 14 months. Joining House of Tea and Matchabar, the shop is squarely pitched at a nation that reportedly drinks more cups of tea per capita than any other. Traditionally we favour black tea (made from a blend of Indian and Sri Lankan – or Ceylon – leaves), with many households simply differentiating between the big Irish brands of Barry's and Lyons. But a combination of travel, more sophisticated palates, a multicultural populace and a growing interest in our health has seen a surge in the consumption of specialist teas in Ireland.

The first dedicated teashop to hit our shores was House of Tea, which began life as an online store in 2004. Founded by Berliner Martin Mehner, the store eventually set up in the CHQ building in Dublin's IFSC in December 2007. "I run my own computer company, and House of Tea really started as a hobby," Mehner explains.

"In Ireland, most people think real tea comes in teabags, but you'd never find a teabag in places like Germany, Turkey or Spain." Taking a gamble on selling premium teas from all over the world, Mehner soon proved what he thought he knew – introduce people to the pleasures of loose teas and they'll soon see what they've been missing out on.

Handsome rows of black caddies line House of Tea's shelves, each holding a small metal tin. Here you're invited to browse, explore and inhale, much in the way you'd try out a new perfume before purchase. By unscrewing the lid of each tin you'll release a magical aroma – maybe floral, zesty, smoky or spicy – that can't fail to excite your taste buds.

In order to source and stock the best produce he can, Mehner has spent a lot of time visiting tea plantations around the world. He is responsible for shooting the evocative and exotic photographs that hang on the walls of his teashop, all illuminating the lush and labour-intensive world of tea, and has an enviable knowledge of tea's history, heritage and tastes which he enjoys sharing. "About 25% of my customers have a little knowledge about tea, but most are simply curious and keen to try something new."

Despite stocking over 100 varieties, from Vietnam's finest jasmine to rooibos applestrudel, gunpowder green to oolong orange blossom and organic pu-erh to white bud, Mehner seems a little disappointed to reveal that his bestsellers are both classic black teas – breakfast tea and pure Assam.

So, it seems we're creatures of habit, as the newly-opened Le Palais des Thés also confirms that two of its top sellers are black teas – the exotically named Grand Yunnan Imperial, with its distinctive honey taste, and Thé des Lords, a classic Earl Grey enlivened with colourful saffron flowers. But its number-one tea is actually a green tea, Thé du Hammam, that makes the most fragrant infusion imaginable. Inspired by a traditional Turkish recipe, it's a sensational blend of delicate green tea scented with exotic green dates, orange blossoms, roses and red fruits, that has to be sampled to be believed.

Despite stocking such specialised wares, Le Palais des Thés on Dublin's Wicklow Street, a franchise of the French outfit that has 18 stores across five countries, is unusually inviting, drawing curious shoppers seduced by the pretty displays and tempting aromas. Opened by Siobhan Scully (the lady responsible for bringing French beauty brand L'Occitane to Ireland), there's always an enticing beverage ready to sample as you browse, and this changes from morning to evening, reflecting tea's suitability for different moods and seasons.

Le Palais's unrivalled stock is available in attractive sampler packages, allowing you choose themed boxes like green teas, rooibos, Indian, Nepalese and Sri Lankan, or China, Taiwan and Vietnam box sets. Each of its teas is set out in accessible little bowls at counter level, so shoppers can sniff and savour the blends and buds before buying. If you're still stuck for inspiration, manager Niall Byrne, a serious tea fanatic, has impressive knowledge of the wares, but any of the enthusiastic staff will ensure you leave this tea palace with a perfect packet of pleasure to enjoy at home.

At Matchabar in the Powerscourt Centre, you'll have to ask to smell the wares, which are stashed in unmarked golden caddies stacked high on dark wooden shelves. Customers claim to like the sense of mystery and intrigue, as they watch partners Claudia Marion and Brendan Dempsey seamlessly navigate their 150-plus stock of teas. "People aren't used to seeing speciality stores any more," says Marion, "so it's been amazing to see how many customers have compared Matchabar to the wand shop in the Harry Potter movie!"

Matchabar does a roaring trade in its signature drink – matcha – a unique stone-ground powdered green tea from Japan. Made from shade-grown leaves, it's beaten with a whisk rather than infused in a teapot and is extremely rich in vitamins, boasting more antioxidants than any fruit or vegetable. It seems pretty expensive, (€27 per 30g) compared to most of the other stock (averaging €6 per 100g) although I'm reassured that one gramme should make 10-12 cups.

"Our customers are full of questions and curiosity," explains Marion, "and it's a pleasure to share our knowledge and encourage them to try new things."

She's amazed at how many people
ask, 'What's it good for?' explaining that while tea is undeniably healthy and restorative, not all of them are created to heal! "We're always happy to make up bespoke blends, such as something to
help with sleeping, but many of the teas
we sell are purely pleasurable
refreshments – a kind of sensory indulgence."

teabag taboo

If you're more of a bag-in-mug kind of tea drinker you're probably unaware of the subtleties, styles and complexities of tea. Using a lexicon to rival that of wine experts, professional tea tasters think in terms of tannin, voluptuousness, greenness, length in the mouth, mellowness, roundness and warmth. Teabag is the last word you're likely to hear these aficionados utter, although all three Dublin stores, in a nod to convenience, offer solutions for those short on tea brewing time. Matchabar and House of Tea sell packs of empty sachets which you can simply fill yourself with their fragrant wares. Le Palais des Thés offers a selection of its best sellers in muslin sachets for ease of transportation and preparation. These come filled with the exact same produce you can buy loose from the shops' caddies, ensuring you're not getting a lesser quality product.

Not so black and white

With the exception of rooibos (South African 'red tea') all teas come from the tea plant. How the plant is processed determines the end result, with fermentation (a chemical reaction that takes place as a result of enzymes contained in the fresh leaf) the most significant stage of processing. The final tea – black, green, white, yellow oolong, pu-erh – is determined by controlling the drying and fermentation processes.