Tea Type

Black Tea
Black tea is withered, fully fermented and dried. Black tea least resembles the natural tea leaf. The manufacturing processes and varieties of black tea differ considerably among the various growing regions. Black teas should give a strong, hearty and bright, reddish or amber-colored brew.

• Assam (India) -- rich, bold aroma, full-bodied with a strong malty taste, and a clear, dark red brew. It is delicious with a spot of milk.
• Ceylon (Sri Lanka) -- very aromatic, golden-amber brew with a rich, full astringent flavor that is sometimes described as "fruity" or "biscuity." Goes great with a little milk.
• Darjeeling (India) -- the rarest and most prestigious of black teas. Its quality is excellent due to the growing climate and altitude. It has a distinct taste for each growing season; First Flush, light and astringent with an amazing aroma and a green muscatel, sometimes "flowery" taste, and Second Flush has a darker, more round, less astringent, and "fruitier" full-bodied flavor. Both provide varying degrees of muscatel and wood flavors, along with a rich, golden-red brew.
• Keemun (China) -- has a subtle orchid aroma and a rich, red brew. The flavor is mild with a hint of sweetness, full-bodied, and wine-like.
• Lapsang Souchong (China) -- a dark tea with a distinct smoky fragrance and flavor, due to the tea leaves being withered over open fires of pine. Gives a rich, red brew.
• Nilgiri (India) -- gives a bright and smooth, well-rounded, "fruity" mellow flavor.
• Yunnan (China) -- has a brisk, rich, slightly peppery or "spicy" taste with a pronounced floral aroma. Named the "mocha of tea" it has a red-amber color, and is full-bodied.

Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is withered, partially fermented and dried. Oolongs fall between black and green tea in color and taste, have low caffeine, and give an orangy-brown to dark brown brew. Oolong tea should give a very mellow, delicate and "fruity" flavor. Some varieties give a deliciously "nutty" finish.

• Darjeeling (India) -- excellent oolong with a flavor finish of unripened fruit. The brew is pale yellow.
• Formosa (Taiwan) -- undergoes a longer fermentation period than other oolongs and therefore is darker in appearance. It has a bright, brownish-amber brew and possesses a delicate, "fruity," sometimes "nutty" taste and a superb aroma.
• Pouchong (China) -- the least fermented oolong, therefore it falls somewhere between green and oolong tea. It's often used as a base for jasmine tea as well as other scented teas. It has a very mild, smooth, sweet flavor, and gives a pale, orangy-brown brew.

Green Tea
Green tea totally skips the oxidation process. After it's been withered, if at all, it's immediately steamed or heated via firing or pan frying to prevent oxidation. It is then rolled and dried. Green tea most resembles the tea leaf in its natural state. Higher grades of green tea have a fuller, more complex flavor, and can usually be steeped more times than the lower grades. Green tea should give a pale, yellowish-green brew, and the taste should be smooth and fresh -- very light and delicate.

• Bancha (Japan) -- very similar to Sencha but of a lower quality and caffeine content, and a weaker flavor.
• Chun Mee/Precious Eyebrows (China) -- gives a smooth taste with a clear, pale yellow brew.
• Genmaicha (Japan) -- a medium quality Sencha tea, mixed with toasted rice and popped corn. It gives a light brown, refreshing brew with a slightly "smoky" or "nutty" flavor.
• Gunpowder/Pearl Tea (China) -- gives a strong, greeny-coppery brew with a pungent taste.
• Gyokuro (Japan) -- is the most refined and expensive of Japanese tea. It has a subtle aroma and a very smooth, sweet, mild taste.
• Lung Ching/Dragon Well (China) -- has a delicious aroma and fresh, mellow flavor. The brew is clear yellow with a slightly sweet aftertaste.
• Matcha (Japan) -- powdered tea made from Gyokuro leaves, used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. The brew has a jade green color and the flavor is very strong -- makes excellent iced tea.
• Sencha (Japan) -- has a mixture of subtle sweetness, bitterness and fresh green scent. The taste varies in strength according to the season in which it is plucked. The brew is a clear and bright, light green.

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