Different Types of Tea

There are three main types of tea—green, oolong and black, differentiated by the amount of oxidation the leaves undergo during processing. Black teas (also referred to as “red” teas by the Chinese) are fully oxidized, meaning that once the leaves are picked and allowed to soften, they are rolled or crushed. This action breaks the fibers and releases the juices and chemicals within the leaves to react to oxygen, turning the leaves from green to a coppery red. They are then baked or “fired” to dry them out, which prepares them for packing, storing and shipping.

Examples of black teas include the rich and spicy Yunnan, and the wine-like and slightly smoky Keemun, sometimes called the “Burgundy” of teas, from China; Darjeeling, sometimes called the “Champagne” of teas, with flavors reminiscent of muscatel and wood, and the robust, malty Assam from India; and the lighter, “fruity-biscuity” Ceylon from Sri Lanka.

Oolong (“black dragon” in Chinese) teas are partially oxidized, with different degrees of oxidation yielding different flavors. After picking, the leaves are shaken in baskets to bruise and oxidize only the edges of the leaves, leaving the inner part of the leaf green and intact. They are left as whole leaves, then rolled into a ball-like shape and fired to dry. These teas are generally found in Taiwan and the Fujian Province of China. There are several varieties in this category, including the delicate and refreshing Baozhong, the orchid and nectar-likehigh mountain oolong, the pungent and woody Tieguanyin, and the slightly malty-sweet floral Baihao.

Green teas are not oxidized, but are formed into different shapes either by pan firing by hand (China) or by steaming (Japan). They are then sorted by size and quality into different grades, the higher grades having a fuller and more complex flavor, and often are able to be steeped more times than the lower grades. China produces the greatest number of these, including the chestnutty Long Ching (Dragon Well), the fruity and fragrant Pi Lo Chun (Green Snail Spring-- much better than it sounds, one of my favorites), the mild, lightly sweet Chun Mei (Precious Eyebrows), and the strong and smoky gunpowder, among hundreds of others.

Japan is the other major producer, offering Sencha (the most common, slightly spinachy), Genmaicha (tea with roasted rice), Matcha (powdered, used in the Japanese tea ceremony), and for the special occasion, Gyokuro.There is a fourth and less common type of tea called White tea, which consists of tea buds. It is lightly oxidized has a delicate, slightly nutty taste. The finest example is called Yinzhen, or Silver Needles, referring to the long shape of the downy buds.

By David Savige