Tea World

The tea plant

All tea comes from varieties of the plant Camellia Sinensis. In the wild, the plant grows to the size of a tree. There are, in fact many ancient tea trees still thriving in China, active testaments to a long-standing tea culture in the country where this beverage was first drunk. For the convenience of plucking, most tea plants are pruned down to the size of a bush, often giving the tea estate the appearance of a manicured garden.

Not all teas are equal

Tea is often compared to wine. Large amounts of tea are produced every year, and as with wine, the quality differences can be huge. Most of the tea produced in a given season is destined for the mass-market tea bag, yielding intense colour but and a forgettable flavour. The skill and mastery applied to teamaking plays a big role. Also, teas from the handful of estates in the world producing outstanding teas are the result of their terroir, the subtle combination of the climate, soil, moisture level where the tea is grown, and whether it is high grown or low grown (high grown teas grow slower and yield more complex flavours). Good tea is made from the hand plucked 'two leaves and a bud', the topmost and youngest shoots of a tea bush. A result of these factors is that certain highly prized teas from Darjeeling, or Oolong teas, for example, demand very high prices, while a few dollars will purchase hundreds of grocery store tea bags or that common oolong served up in a Chinese restaurant. Many have found that after tasting the richer, more complex flavour and aroma of a good single estate loose leaf tea, going back to the flat and dull, often bitter taste of mass market blended tea has little appeal.

Tea categories

Is it possible that green, black, oolong and white teas all come from the same plant? Absolutely, though the leaves are processed differently, and different plant varieties and where they are grown lend themselves better to a particular style of tea. The key difference lies in how much oxygen the freshly plucked leaves are allowed to absorb during the oxidation stage of processing.

The stages of tea processing consist of withering, rolling, oxidation and drying (or firing).

Black tea (or Red tea as it is known in China) originated in China's Fujian Province in the late 16th century. Tea enthusiasts agree that the best 'orthodox' teas come from India, Ceylon and China. Black tea goes through 'full processing'. Gathered leaves are spread out to wither (this reduces water content); a process that also softens leaves to avoid breaking during the rolling stage. During rolling, the final curled appearance is given to the leaves. This process breaks cell membranes, and enzymes present in the leaves interact with oxygen, turning the green tea leaves russet red. The leaves are then dried or fired to end oxidation (thus, to fire the leaves is to 'de-enzyme' them), at which time the leaves turn dark brown to black. Grading then takes place to sort the tea into various leaf sizes. The story that black tea comes from the accidental fermentation of green tea during a long journey is likely not very likely.

Tea continues to be enjoyed Green in over half the world. Thanks to its gentle freshness and subtle flavour, along with the abundance of inherent health benefits, green tea is winning accolades and many new drinkers in the west. In the Far East, Green tea has been the conventional form of tea drunk over the millennia. In the west, there has been a surge in interest in green teas in the last 5 years, particularly among younger drinkers. Green tea undergoes withering, rolling and firing only. Green teas are heated before they are allowed to oxidize, one of the main reasons it tastes so different from fully oxidized black tea. Some premium China green teas, whether flat or twisted are still rolled and shaped by hand.

White teas are the least processed. These most delicate of teas have long been revered by tea enthusiasts for their subtle complexity and slightly sweet taste, along with their wonderful health promoting properties. White teas are a specialty tea and are among the rarest forms of tea. Originally produced in China's Fujian province, White teas are gently hand picked and undergo withering and air drying only. So it is, in effect, 'unprocessed' tea. Very little white tea is produced, and its manufacture requires particular care. Its name is derived from the silvery-white colour of its leaves, often covered with a white down. High quality white teas, such as the Silver Needle (Yin Zhen) come mainly from China, although certain Darjeeling estates are beginning to produce some white teas of distinction. The flavour of white tea is delicate, and has light fruit nuances. Oolong, which translates as Black Dragon, is a partially oxidized tea, and is fuller bodied than green tea, and at its best displays an intense, lingering flavour and a fruity fragrance. In China it is regarded as a good aid to digestion and soothing to the stomach. Oolong tea (sometimes known as Blue tea) is semi-oxidized, after withering, only to the early stages of oxidation. Leaves are agitated in baskets to bruise them and are allowed to react with air for about an hour to 90 minutes, during which time they turn a yellow tint. The leaves are then dried (or fired). Stronger in flavour than greens, yet more delicate than blacks, oolongs can be drunk any time of the day. The amount of time the leaves are allowed to oxidize determines whether the oolong will be closer to a green tea or a black tea.

Origin of Good Tea

The best tea comes out of Asia. Of particular note are the teas grown in the following regions:

Japan

Japan produces only green tea. The origin of Japanese tea drinking comes from Zen Buddhist monks who were ardent drinkers of the beverage as an aid to meditation. Half of Japan's tea production is in the Shizuoka region. Japanese green teas are rich in vitamin C and low in theine. A large amount of Japan's premium teas are destined for domestic consumption, but small quantities of top quality Sencha and Gyokuro teas are exported. Japan teas have infusions of an almost startling green, of varying intensity. As a general rule, the better the tea, the more intense the colour of the infusion is.

China

The countryside of China has some of the loveliest tea gardens in the world, and is where tea has been drunk for over a thousand years. Gardens have remained relatively small and individual, though this is now changing. Foremost in tea production is the Zhejiang province, and a majority of the country's tea crop is concentrated in the provinces of Yunnan, Anhui, Hunan, Fujian, Sichuan and Guangdong. China produces the greatest variety of tea - green, black, oolong, brick and pu-erh. With a long history of tea drinking in the country, the variety of green tea in particular can at first seem intimidating.

India

India is most known for its Darjeeling and Assam teas. It produces large quantities of Assam, located by the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra river, that 'tippy' tea well know for its spicy deep red liquor favoured by drinkers favouring a full bodied cup. Good Assam tea is characterized by handsome golden leaves giving a dark, malty liquor with honey notes and a pronounced aroma. Even though Darjeeling teas make up only 3% of India's total tea output, it remains one of the most recognized names in tea. A unique terroir and diversity of bush have factored into creating a flavour profile that cannot be recreated anywhere else. First Flush (spring) Darjeelings are light and fragrant, bringing to mind muscatel grapes or green almonds. Second Flush (summer) Darjeelings have a delicate aroma and an intense fruity taste. Autumn Flush Darjeelings are similar to the second flush, but milder.

Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

Ceylon teas are grown in the mountainous regions of Sri Lanka. Classification according to whether the tea is High, Middle or Low grown is made, Low grown teas being largely destined for bulk blending. The six main tea growing areas of Ceylon, each of which produce teas with their own specific flavours, are Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula, Uva, Galle and Ratnapura.

Taiwan (Formosa)

Most well known for its semi fermented Oolong teas (also know as Blue teas), Taiwan is a relative new-comer to the tea world compared with China, tea plants only having been transplanted from the Fujian province in China some 200 years ago. Oolong, which translates as 'black dragon', has a flamboyant aroma and has the flavour of ripe peaches. The best grades of oolong are at once delicate and rich, and are deliciously fruity. They are suitable as an all day drink.

Tea and Caffeine

The stimulant present in tea is actually called 'theine', just as its counterpart is caffeine in coffee. For simplicity we'll refer to it as caffeine. As a general rule, caffeine levels increase moving from white to green to black teas. As well, China tea generally has less caffeine than Indian tea. So which has more caffeine, tea or coffee? By weight, tea contains more caffeine than coffee, but since more cups can be made from a pound of tea than that of coffee, the actual amount of caffeine present in a cup of tea can be half or less than the amount in a cup of coffee. In addition, as many tea drinkers have observed, the effect of caffeine tends to be gentler in tea than coffee. Teas can be decaffeinated through a carbon dioxide process and a harsher chemical process. A small amount of caffeine still persists in remaining, so it should be noted that decaffeinated tea still has about 5% of its original amount. While some tea drinkers choose to limit their intake, most enjoy the lift that a cup of tea provides. For those who would like an entirely caffeine free beverage, herbal or fruit blends or a beverage such as Rooibos are considerations.