Learn about tea
Tea Types
All tea comes from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
There are 6 types of tea.
White Tea
- Picking: Only in spring, often only buds
- Processing: Natural withering & drying
- Flavour Profile: Creates a delicate flavour with honey apricot notes
- From: Mainly from China, some in Sri Lanka and India
- Other Info: Closest to the natural state
Green Tea
- Picking: Picked throughout the year, best picking is 2 leaf to a bud
- Processing: Withering, shaping & drying
- Flavour Profile: Creates a vegetal flavour with sweet after taste
- From: Mainly from China & Japan, some in Sri Lanka and India
Yellow Tea
- Picking: Picked as young leaves and buds
- Processing: Natural withering & drying Additional “yellowing” by wrapping tea leaves with very light oxidation
- Flavour Profile: Creates a soft non-vegetal mellow flavour
- From: Grown & produced only in China
Oolong Tea
- Picking: Picked throughout the year, 3 leaves and a bud
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Processing: Withering, rolling, shapping, oxidizing, drying
There are many processing steps. This can be very artistic. - Flavour Profile: Creates bright and refreshing flavour either with floral or toasty notes
- From: Grown & produced in China and Taiwan
Black Tea
- Picking: Picked throughout the year, best picking is 2 leaves and a bud
- Processing: Withering, rolling or cutting, oxidizing, drying, sorting
- Flavour Profile: Creates a mellow full flavour, often with malty or oaky notes
- From: Mainly from China, India, Sri Lanka & the African Continent
Pu-erh Tea
- Picking: Aged tea (improves over time)
- Processing: Similar to Green/Black then allowed to age and ferment
- Flavour Profile: Creates an earthy musky flavour
- From: Grown & produced only in Yunnan province of China
- Other: Can be left loose or be compressed into discs or bricks