Types of Teas - What are the various kinds of Tea?
There are various kinds of Teas that are available for you to enjoy. Out of all of them, which ones would you like to sip as per your mood or your taste?
Two principal varieties of Camellia sinensis (tea plant) are used to produce tea: the small-leaf Chinese variety (C. s. sinensis) used for most tea types and the large-leaf variety native to the Assam region in India (C. s. assamica) used mainly for black tea.
The scientific name of a tea plant is camellia sinensis. All types of Tea originate from the same plant. The taste, aroma, texture, appearance varies because of the way it is manufactured and further produced. Without making it complicated, let’s look at the list.
Different types of Tea
1. Black Tea
This Tea is an oxidised Tea and is brisk, bold & more robust in flavour compared to other types of Tea. There are two kinds of Black Tea. One is a leaf Tea while other is more like pellets and is called CTC (Cut Turn Curl) or milk Tea. They range from an Autumn Tea to Darjeeling, Assam Black, Ceylon Black, English or French Breakfast or a Vintage Muscatel. You may like it straight black or with a dash of milk or even with just a drop of lemon. They are made across Kangra, Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiris, Nepal, Bihar, Sri Lanka as well as Kenya.
2. Green Tea
Since it is the least oxidised of all the kinds of Tea, Green Tea is a milder and light bodied. In the tea factory, it is either pan fried or steamed which results in distinct taste and aroma. This is done to stop the oxidation process. Japanese and Chinese Green Tea is widely popular such as Matcha and Sencha or Biluochun and Gunpowder tea. The Tea is light bodied with a hint of astringency and a vegetal or grassy flavour. Green Tea is made in Kangra, Darjeeling, Nilgiris, Assam, Nagaland, Nepal.
3. White Tea
The name ‘White Tea’ is derived from the unopened buds and leaves covered with fine white hair (called down). This is a naturally oxidised non-processed tea. The main types of white tea are Silver Needle, White Peony, Long Life Eyebrow, and Tribute Eyebrow. The Tea has a very light and delicate flavour profile. White Tea is made in Darjeeling, Nilgiris, Kangra, Assam, Nepal.
4. Oolong
Oolong or “Black Dragon” Tea is a handcrafted tea made and is made from partially oxidised mature tea leaves. And it is neither a black nor a green Tea. There are four regions that are popular for making Oolong. They are Taiwan, Wuyi Rock Tea, Anxi Tieguanyin and Guangdong Dan Cong. The level of oxidation varies and thus makes a difference in the Tea’s aroma, taste, flavour, and texture. The more oxidized, the darker is the color. As for the flavour, it ranges from light to full bodied, nutty, creamy, smooth with a sweet after taste and at times a little toasty, smoky as well! Oolong is also made in Kangra, Nilgiris, Darjeeling.
5. Puerh
Pu-erh (also spelled puer, pu’er, pu'erh, puerh) may be one of the most unique and fascinating tea types – loved and collected by tea enthusiasts around the world – but is also one of the least understood tea types. Some keywords and characteristics you may have heard associated with pu-erh are “earthy,” “good for digestion,” “fermented,” “aged,” or “compressed tea”. Puerh is Tea that ages like wine and has ‘history’ written all over it. Pu-erh teas can be found in compressed brick form or in loose leaf form and can be made from both green and black tea leaves.
6. CTC
CTC refers to the Crush, Tear & Curl process where the withered green leaves are passed in-between two rollers rotating in opposite directions. This results in a process wherein the tea leaves produced are strong, robust and full bodied. They are used to make chai or tea with sugar and milk. India, Kenya are popular in making this variety of tea. The CTC method is known for its efficiency in processing large quantities of tea leaves quickly and it is often used to produce strong, robust and full-bodied black teas. CTC teas are popular for making chai and are also used in tea bags because they infuse quickly and produce a bold, dark brew with a brisk flavor. They are especially well-suited for making strong, aromatic teas with milk and sugar.
Anamika
Thanks for sharing the different types