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Herbal Teas
Herbal teas are classified into four categories: Single herb teas, such as Chamomile flowers or guava leaves tea; herb blends that combine two or more herbs such as fruit tisanes that combine fruit bits, herbs, and flavoring for a fun brew like Vintage Harvest and Paris Sunset, both popular blends in Europe; and functional blends, which are herbs blended for specific purposes, such as to promote weight loss or energy. And finally, crossover herb blends that combine tea and herbs, such as Rose Congou, a fine black tea with rose petals.
White and Green Teas
White and green teas are unoxidized teas made from withered Camellia sinensis leaves. Withered leaves are freshly plucked leaves that have been spread on a screen that allows air to remove moisture. An example of white tea is Yin Zhen (Silver Needle), which consists of the flowery pekoe leaf buds that are plucked on the day prior to their opening. Another popular white tea is Bai Mu Dan, which uses a good portion of bold leaves. They are pan-fired and dried, and undergo no rolling or firing. White teas yield a delicate infusion with mellow flavor.
Black Teas
The first step in processing leaves into black tea is withering them until their moisture content reaches 60 percent. As the leaves dry, they become pliable; at this point, they are either rolled or broken, either by hand or mechanically. Rolling the leaves helps release organic compounds, which then combine with other leaf constituents to produce a molecular structure that gives the black tea its distinctive flavor and aroma. During the oxidation process, the leaf oxidizes and accordingly, turns brown. The length of time the leaves are oxidized determines leaf color, as contact between oxygen and chemical components in the tea leaves turn the leaves from green to a coppery red to a deep brown, and then finally, black.
Oolong Teas
Oolong tea is partially-oxidized tea that is processed similarly to black tea. However, oolong tea leaves are withered and oxidized for a shorter time, which creates a sweeter, more delicate flavor than that presented by a black tea. To stop oxidation, the leaves are pan-fired, after which they undergo a process that includes a series of rolling and firing steps.
To process green tea, the leaves are steamed or pan-fired to stop the chemical reaction that begins once the leaves are picked, causing oxidation to begin. Once the leaves become soft and pliable, they are rolled into various shapes, after which the tea continues to dry until it has less than four percent moisture content. Green teas include Gunpowder, a Chinese tea in which the leaves are rolled by hand into tiny pellets; it has a grassy, fresh taste that cleanses the palate. Dragon Well, another Chinese tea, has a nice aroma and a delicate flavor; Sencha, from Japan, is light in color, yet rich in the cup; lastly, Genmaicha is a Sencha tea that has been blended with toasted and popped rice. jasmine tea is created by scenting fine green tea with jasmine blossoms. Of the teas in this category, Jasmine Pearl and Jasmine Mao Fung are both very popular nowadays.
Formosa White-Tip Oolong is generally regarded as the best oolong in the world. Several grades of Formosa Oolong are available, with flavors ranging from smooth and sweet to fruity and toasty. Wenshan Pouchong tea has a luscious aroma that is almost "green tea-ish" in nature, which makes it another popular oolong tea. For the past 30 years, Taiwan tea farmers and tea merchants have successfully developed the popular Jade Oolong based on Pouchong tea processing techniques, but more skillfully fired and rolled. A good example is Evergreen Oolong.
Among the more popular black teas are Keemun, a universally enjoyed tea from China that was incorporated into the first English Breakfast tea. Popular flavored or scented black teas include Earl Grey, which is flavored with bergamot, a Cantonese citrus fruit, and Lapsang Souchong, a black tea from China that has a smoky, tarry flavor that is a result of being processed over the smoke of burning pine branches. Also, there are black teas that are flavored with natural fruits or fruit essence.
