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The art of tasting tea
All true teas, whether black, green or Oolong, are made from leaves
of the same plant, Camellia sinensis. This plant is grown throughout
Asia, and in parts of Africa, Indonesia and Europe. The different types
of tea are based on where the tea was grown and harvested, and
on what parts of the plant were harvested and processed.
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BLACK TEAS
Black tea is made by harvesting tea leaves then spreading them on
cement or tile floors in a cool, humid room to "ferment," or oxidize
for several hours. This process triples the caffeine in the leaves.
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TEA
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ORIGIN
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FLAVOR
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SUGGESTED USE
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Assam
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Assam, India
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Hearty, robust, malty
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May add lemon or milk;
often used as breakfast tea
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Ceylon
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Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
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Flowery, somewhat sweet, very delicate
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Breakfast or afternoon tea
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Darjeeling
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Darjeeling, India
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Pungent, astringent flavor when used alone; demand is
greater than supply, so this tea is often blended with others to stretch
it.
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General purpose. Leaves of quality Darjeelings may
be brewed more than once.
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Kalgar
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India
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Similar to Assam, but lighter
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Breakfast tea
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Keemun
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China
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Sweet, full-bodied, mellow
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Breakfast tea
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TEA
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ORIGIN
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FLAVOR
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SUGGESTED USE
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Keemun Hao Ya
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China
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Fruity, sweet flavor, orchid aroma
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Afternoon tea; tasty with baked goods
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Lapsang Souchong
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Taiwan (Formosa)
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Smoky; is flavored with the smoke of pine roots
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General
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Nilgiri
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Nilgiri, India
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Mild, fresh, full-bodied, even if the steeping was not done
quite right.
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Good with sweet foods
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Sikkim
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Sikkim, India
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Malty, but with a light, delicate flavor like Darjeeling
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General
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Yunnan
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China
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Strong, somewhat peppery
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Breakfast tea
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