Azerbaijani tea culture

In Azerbaijan the first thing offered to a guest is tea, served in a slim armudu ("pear-shaped") glass that keeps it hot, with lump sugar, lemon, jam and rock sugar on the side.

Tea is the centre of conversation at home, in teahouses and at work. In matchmaking, sweet tea may signal consent and unsweetened tea refusal — customs that give tea a special meaning. Tea is grown in the Lankaran and Astara regions.

"Culture of Çay (tea), a symbol of identity, hospitality and social interaction" was inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage list in 2022 on a joint nomination by Azerbaijan and Türkiye.