A scientific investigation has exposed an audacious fraud involving a Perthshire grower who claimed to produce premium Scottish tea. Professor David Burslem, a plant scientist at the University of Aberdeen, analysed a 250g packet of Dalreoch white tea and found it suspicious due to its size, as Scottish tea production was minimal.
The fraudster, Tam O'Braan, 55, launched his 'Wee Tea' plantation in the mid-2010s, attracting media coverage from the BBC and others. He sold tea plants to growers across Scotland, claiming they were cultivated to withstand local conditions. His venture gained credibility when luxury hotels like the Dorchester in London and the Lowell in New York served his tea, and former first minister Nicola Sturgeon attended its US launch.
However, doubts emerged when journalist Richard Ross, who bought 500 plants from O'Braan, received a tub of processed tea in February 2016, months before his plants could have produced leaves. Other growers also found their plants failed to thrive. Professor Burslem's scientific analysis confirmed the tea was not Scottish-grown, leading to the exposure of the fraud.
