Types of Tea
茶
类
Green Tea | 绿茶 | lǜ chá
Green tea is made from the new leaves and buds of the Camellia sinensis, and is processed by pan-frying, shaping and drying. Green tea does not go through the withering and oxidation process and therefore retains the natural substances and nutrients of fresh leaves such as tea polyphenols, catechins, caffeine, amino acids, and vitamins. To distinguish better quality green tea, look out for more buds that are more whole and consistent in shape.
Origin
Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi
Products
Dragonwell Grade 1
Taste
Astringent, vegetal, sweet and refreshing aftertaste
Aromas
Roasted beans, chestnuts
White tea is a slightly fermented tea, and is processed by withering and drying the leaves in natural sun only and does not include the extra steps of rolling or shaping. Its name derives from the fine silvery-white hairs on the unopened buds of the Camellia sinensis, which give the tea a whitish appearance.
Origin
Fujian
Taste
Soft vegetal, mellow, and sweet
Products
Silver Needles
Aromas
Light, refreshing, and elegant
White Tea | 白茶 | bái chá
Similar to the process of making Green tea, yellow tea undergoes pan-frying, shaping and drying with an additional step of encasing of the leaves in small piles under a constant humidity. This allows the tea to oxidize at a slow rate for a brief period and is also the part of the process which turns the leaves yellow. The tea is subsequently heated fully and left to dry, producing a far more mellow taste than most green teas and is considered more premium.
Origin
Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, Anhui, Zhejiang and Guangdong
Products
Nil
Taste
Mellow, sweet
Aromas
Fresh, floral, honey
Oolong is a semi-oxidised traditional Chinese tea that has styles which vary widely in aroma and flavour. The unique and key steps in making Oolong tea is the airing, shaking and frying of wilted tea leaves. To enhance the taste profile of Oolong, sippers in the Fujian and Chaoshan area are known to enjoy Oolong using a unique way of serving the tea, known as the Gongfu Tea Ceremony.
Origin
Fujian, Guangdong, Taiwan
Taste
Fresh and fruity or
rich and mellow
Products
Osmanthus Oolong, Jasmine Oolong, Tieguanyin Grade 1
Aromas
Earthy and roasted
Yellow Tea | 黄茶 | huáng chá
Oolong Tea | 乌龙茶 | wū lóng chá
Black Tea | 红茶 | hóng chá
Black tea, also known as red tea, is a fully oxidized tea type. Fermentation of the tea leaves alters its chemistry greatly. Tea polyphenols are reduced by more than 90% in the fermentation process, while new components such as theaflavins and thearubigins that significantly enhance the aroma are produced. Black tea first originated in China, and was introduced to Europe in the 17th century, where it was rapidly popularised.
Origin
Fujian, Guangdong, Anhui, Yunnan, Jiangxi
Products
Lapsang Souchong, Lychee Black Tea
Taste
Astringent, rich and mellow
Aromas
Floral, fruity, pine smoke
Dark Tea | 黑茶 | hēi chá
Dark tea is post-fermented tea. The fermentation of dark tea can take up to several years, and this mellows its taste, reduce astringency and bitterness while improving mouthfeel and aftertaste.
The most famous Dark Tea, Pu Er, is categorised into raw or ripe Pu Er.
Raw Pu Er
Forms from the compression of maocha into dense cakes or other decorative shapes. If the raw Pu Er is aged and matured naturally for several years, we get vintage raw Pu Er, which will be brown in colour, due to the continuous fermentation that occurs during the long periods of storage.
Ripe Pu Er
Forms if maocha is not compressed immediately and instead is send for the "Wo Dui" ripening process for some months and subsequently compressed into cakes.
Origin
Yunnan, Guangxi, Hunan, Sichuan
Products
Rose Pu Er
Taste
Rich and mellow, sweet aftertaste
Aromas
Oak, pine, red dates, camphor wood.
