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
  • 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