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The Great Tartan Tea Swindle

Jaega Wise uncovers the extraordinary story of Tam o' Braan and the counterfeit Scottish tea that fooled London's top hotels and retailers.

When Tam o’ Braan began marketing Scottish Tea from his Wee Tea Plantation, the response was astonishing. Upmarket retailers such as Fortnum and Mason and hotels from the Dorchester in London to the Balmoral in Edinburgh paid top prices for the supplies of this rare treat. Scottish farmers caught the bug and bought tea bushes from Tam's plantation that he promised were bred especially for harsh Scottish conditions. Magazines, national newspapers and even the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ profiled the entrepreneur behind the innovations that were putting Scotland on the tea map of the world.

The only problem was that Tam’s business was based on lies. His name wasn’t Tam o’ Braan, he wasn’t an award-winning tea grower and his tea certainly wasn’t Scottish. Jaega Wise follows the story of Tam and his tea from the hills of Perthshire through the tea salons of London to Falkirk's Sheriff Court.

Producer: Nina Pullman

Release date:

42 minutes

On radio

Fri 28 Nov 2025 11:00

Broadcast

  • Fri 28 Nov 2025 11:00

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