Teas of the World

Tea comes from one plant, Camellia sinensis, which is grown in a number of different locations around the world. Learning about and sampling the different teas of the world is an exciting process which is not only fun for its own sake, but can help you to become more knowledgeable about tea, and to locate the best teas to suit your own personal tastes.

Major tea-producing regions of the world:

The two largest producers of tea are China and India. Both of these countries have diverse and fascinating cultures of both tea production and drinking. India produces mostly black teas, but has a great deal of diversity among the different types of black tea that it produces. China, on the other hand, is the origin of many of the world's different varieties of tea, including green, black, white, oolong, and Pu-erh. Until recently, there were few countries outside of China that produced an appreciable amount of white, oolong, and Pu-erh.

China:

Chinese teas are so diverse that it would be challenging if not impossible to write a paragraph that accurately depicts their diversity. Some major varieties to come out of China include blacks like Keemun, Yunnan Red, and Lapsang souchong, oolongs like Tie Guan Yin, Se Chung, Feng Huang Dancong, and the Wuyi oolongs, whites like Shou Mei, white peony, and silver needle, greens like Bi Luo Chun, dragonwell, and gunpowder, and also Pu-erh, an aged tea. Many of these styles are now produced in other parts of the world as well.

Indian Teas:

The two most famous types of Indian tea are Darjeeling and Assam. Both are generally black teas, and are named for the regions in which they are produced. Assam, grown at a lower elevation, is a powerful black tea with a strong malty character, and is one of the key ingredients in strong breakfast blends like Irish Breakfast. Darjeeling teas, on the other hand, are grown at a higher altitude, have a lighter character, and are a favorite for English afternoon tea. Less well-known worldwide, but still important, are Nilgiri teas, grown at high elevations in southern India. Recently, India has begun producing a few green, white, and oolong teas as well, especially in Darjeeling.

Ceylon Teas from Sri Lanka:

Ceylon is simply an older term for Sri Lanka, and Ceylon tea just refers to tea grown in Sri Lanka. Like India, Sri Lanka produces mostly black tea, although it has also recently expanded into green teas. Sri Lanka is an island, and has diverse topography. As the topography changes, so does the climate, and thus, Ceylon teas grown in different parts of the island have radically different characters.

Japanese Green Teas:

Japan produces and consumes almost exclusively green tea. In contrast to Chinese green teas, which are pan-fired, Japanese green teas are steamed, giving them very different qualities of taste and aroma. The leaf of Japanese green teas tends to be more flaky, and the aroma more vegetal, often even seaweedy. Some styles of Japanese tea include sencha, bancha, kukicha (twig tea), hojicha (roasted green tea), genmaicha (brown rice tea), gyokuro, and matcha (a powdered green tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony).

Taiwan, Capital of the Oolongs:

Taiwan, in the tea world, is often referred to as Formosa. Although oolong originated in China, Taiwan is the origin of many of the world's best oolongs nowadays. Taiwanese oolong ranges from darker-colored, more oxidized varieties, such as oriental beauty or bai hao oolong (which is sometimes just labelled generically as Formosa oolong), through the intermediate amber oolongs, to jade oolong, and pouchong, an oolong that is barely oxidized and closely resembles green tea. Taiwan's tropical climate allows the tea plant to be grown at higher elevations than elsewhere in the world, producing high mountain oolongs with unique and highly desirable characteristics of aroma and flavor.

Tea comes from one plant, Camellia sinensis, which is grown in a number of different locations around the world. Learning about and sampling the different teas of the world is an exciting process which is not only fun for its own sake, but can help you to become more knowledgeable about tea, and to locate the best teas to suit your own personal tastes.

Major tea-producing regions of the world:

The two largest producers of tea are China and India. Both of these countries have diverse and fascinating cultures of both tea production and drinking. India produces mostly black teas, but has a great deal of diversity among the different types of black tea that it produces. China, on the other hand, is the origin of many of the world's different varieties of tea, including green, black, white, oolong, and Pu-erh. Until recently, there were few countries outside of China that produced an appreciable amount of white, oolong, and Pu-erh.

China:

Chinese teas are so diverse that it would be challenging if not impossible to write a paragraph that accurately depicts their diversity. Some major varieties to come out of China include blacks like Keemun, Yunnan Red, and Lapsang souchong, oolongs like Tie Guan Yin, Se Chung, Feng Huang Dancong, and the Wuyi oolongs, whites like Shou Mei, white peony, and silver needle, greens like Bi Luo Chun, dragonwell, and gunpowder, and also Pu-erh, an aged tea. Many of these styles are now produced in other parts of the world as well.

Indian Teas:

The two most famous types of Indian tea are Darjeeling and Assam. Both are generally black teas, and are named for the regions in which they are produced. Assam, grown at a lower elevation, is a powerful black tea with a strong malty character, and is one of the key ingredients in strong breakfast blends like Irish Breakfast. Darjeeling teas, on the other hand, are grown at a higher altitude, have a lighter character, and are a favorite for English afternoon tea. Less well-known worldwide, but still important, are Nilgiri teas, grown at high elevations in southern India. Recently, India has begun producing a few green, white, and oolong teas as well, especially in Darjeeling.

Ceylon Teas from Sri Lanka:

Ceylon is simply an older term for Sri Lanka, and Ceylon tea just refers to tea grown in Sri Lanka. Like India, Sri Lanka produces mostly black tea, although it has also recently expanded into green teas. Sri Lanka is an island, and has diverse topography. As the topography changes, so does the climate, and thus, Ceylon teas grown in different parts of the island have radically different characters.

Japanese Green Teas:

Japan produces and consumes almost exclusively green tea. In contrast to Chinese green teas, which are pan-fired, Japanese green teas are steamed, giving them very different qualities of taste and aroma. The leaf of Japanese green teas tends to be more flaky, and the aroma more vegetal, often even seaweedy. Some styles of Japanese tea include sencha, bancha, kukicha (twig tea), hojicha (roasted green tea), genmaicha (brown rice tea), gyokuro, and matcha (a powdered green tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony).

Taiwan, Capital of the Oolongs:

Taiwan, in the tea world, is often referred to as Formosa. Although oolong originated in China, Taiwan is the origin of many of the world's best oolongs nowadays. Taiwanese oolong ranges from darker-colored, more oxidized varieties, such as oriental beauty or bai hao oolong (which is sometimes just labelled generically as Formosa oolong), through the intermediate amber oolongs, to jade oolong, and pouchong, an oolong that is barely oxidized and closely resembles green tea. Taiwan's tropical climate allows the tea plant to be grown at higher elevations than elsewhere in the world, producing high mountain oolongs with unique and highly desirable characteristics of aroma and flavor.

Tea comes from one plant, Camellia sinensis, which is grown in a number of different locations around the world. Learning about and sampling the different teas of the world is an exciting process which is not only fun for its own sake, but can help you to become more knowledgeable about tea, and to locate the best teas to suit your own personal tastes.

Major tea-producing regions of the world:

The two largest producers of tea are China and India. Both of these countries have diverse and fascinating cultures of both tea production and drinking. India produces mostly black teas, but has a great deal of diversity among the different types of black tea that it produces. China, on the other hand, is the origin of many of the world's different varieties of tea, including green, black, white, oolong, and Pu-erh. Until recently, there were few countries outside of China that produced an appreciable amount of white, oolong, and Pu-erh.

China:

Chinese teas are so diverse that it would be challenging if not impossible to write a paragraph that accurately depicts their diversity. Some major varieties to come out of China include blacks like Keemun, Yunnan Red, and Lapsang souchong, oolongs like Tie Guan Yin, Se Chung, Feng Huang Dancong, and the Wuyi oolongs, whites like Shou Mei, white peony, and silver needle, greens like Bi Luo Chun, dragonwell, and gunpowder, and also Pu-erh, an aged tea. Many of these styles are now produced in other parts of the world as well.

Indian Teas:

The two most famous types of Indian tea are Darjeeling and Assam. Both are generally black teas, and are named for the regions in which they are produced. Assam, grown at a lower elevation, is a powerful black tea with a strong malty character, and is one of the key ingredients in strong breakfast blends like Irish Breakfast. Darjeeling teas, on the other hand, are grown at a higher altitude, have a lighter character, and are a favorite for English afternoon tea. Less well-known worldwide, but still important, are Nilgiri teas, grown at high elevations in southern India. Recently, India has begun producing a few green, white, and oolong teas as well, especially in Darjeeling.

Ceylon Teas from Sri Lanka:

Ceylon is simply an older term for Sri Lanka, and Ceylon tea just refers to tea grown in Sri Lanka. Like India, Sri Lanka produces mostly black tea, although it has also recently expanded into green teas. Sri Lanka is an island, and has diverse topography. As the topography changes, so does the climate, and thus, Ceylon teas grown in different parts of the island have radically different characters.

Japanese Green Teas:

Japan produces and consumes almost exclusively green tea. In contrast to Chinese green teas, which are pan-fired, Japanese green teas are steamed, giving them very different qualities of taste and aroma. The leaf of Japanese green teas tends to be more flaky, and the aroma more vegetal, often even seaweedy. Some styles of Japanese tea include sencha, bancha, kukicha (twig tea), hojicha (roasted green tea), genmaicha (brown rice tea), gyokuro, and matcha (a powdered green tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony).

Taiwan, Capital of the Oolongs:

Taiwan, in the tea world, is often referred to as Formosa. Although oolong originated in China, Taiwan is the origin of many of the world's best oolongs nowadays. Taiwanese oolong ranges from darker-colored, more oxidized varieties, such as oriental beauty or bai hao oolong (which is sometimes just labelled generically as Formosa oolong), through the intermediate amber oolongs, to jade oolong, and pouchong, an oolong that is barely oxidized and closely resembles green tea. Taiwan's tropical climate allows the tea plant to be grown at higher elevations than elsewhere in the world, producing high mountain oolongs with unique and highly desirable characteristics of aroma and flavor.

Tea comes from one plant, Camellia sinensis, which is grown in a number of different locations around the world. Learning about and sampling the different teas of the world is an exciting process which is not only fun for its own sake, but can help you to become more knowledgeable about tea, and to locate the best teas to suit your own personal tastes.

Major tea-producing regions of the world:

The two largest producers of tea are China and India. Both of these countries have diverse and fascinating cultures of both tea production and drinking. India produces mostly black teas, but has a great deal of diversity among the different types of black tea that it produces. China, on the other hand, is the origin of many of the world's different varieties of tea, including green, black, white, oolong, and Pu-erh. Until recently, there were few countries outside of China that produced an appreciable amount of white, oolong, and Pu-erh.

China:

Chinese teas are so diverse that it would be challenging if not impossible to write a paragraph that accurately depicts their diversity. Some major varieties to come out of China include blacks like Keemun, Yunnan Red, and Lapsang souchong, oolongs like Tie Guan Yin, Se Chung, Feng Huang Dancong, and the Wuyi oolongs, whites like Shou Mei, white peony, and silver needle, greens like Bi Luo Chun, dragonwell, and gunpowder, and also Pu-erh, an aged tea. Many of these styles are now produced in other parts of the world as well.

Indian Teas:

The two most famous types of Indian tea are Darjeeling and Assam. Both are generally black teas, and are named for the regions in which they are produced. Assam, grown at a lower elevation, is a powerful black tea with a strong malty character, and is one of the key ingredients in strong breakfast blends like Irish Breakfast. Darjeeling teas, on the other hand, are grown at a higher altitude, have a lighter character, and are a favorite for English afternoon tea. Less well-known worldwide, but still important, are Nilgiri teas, grown at high elevations in southern India. Recently, India has begun producing a few green, white, and oolong teas as well, especially in Darjeeling.

Ceylon Teas from Sri Lanka:

Ceylon is simply an older term for Sri Lanka, and Ceylon tea just refers to tea grown in Sri Lanka. Like India, Sri Lanka produces mostly black tea, although it has also recently expanded into green teas. Sri Lanka is an island, and has diverse topography. As the topography changes, so does the climate, and thus, Ceylon teas grown in different parts of the island have radically different characters.

Japanese Green Teas:

Japan produces and consumes almost exclusively green tea. In contrast to Chinese green teas, which are pan-fired, Japanese green teas are steamed, giving them very different qualities of taste and aroma. The leaf of Japanese green teas tends to be more flaky, and the aroma more vegetal, often even seaweedy. Some styles of Japanese tea include sencha, bancha, kukicha (twig tea), hojicha (roasted green tea), genmaicha (brown rice tea), gyokuro, and matcha (a powdered green tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony).

Taiwan, Capital of the Oolongs:

Taiwan, in the tea world, is often referred to as Formosa. Although oolong originated in China, Taiwan is the origin of many of the world's best oolongs nowadays. Taiwanese oolong ranges from darker-colored, more oxidized varieties, such as oriental beauty or bai hao oolong (which is sometimes just labelled generically as Formosa oolong), through the intermediate amber oolongs, to jade oolong, and pouchong, an oolong that is barely oxidized and closely resembles green tea. Taiwan's tropical climate allows the tea plant to be grown at higher elevations than elsewhere in the world, producing high mountain oolongs with unique and highly desirable characteristics of aroma and flavor.

Tea comes from one plant, Camellia sinensis, which is grown in a number of different locations around the world. Learning about and sampling the different teas of the world is an exciting process which is not only fun for its own sake, but can help you to become more knowledgeable about tea, and to locate the best teas to suit your own personal tastes.

Major tea-producing regions of the world:

The two largest producers of tea are China and India. Both of these countries have diverse and fascinating cultures of both tea production and drinking. India produces mostly black teas, but has a great deal of diversity among the different types of black tea that it produces. China, on the other hand, is the origin of many of the world's different varieties of tea, including green, black, white, oolong, and Pu-erh. Until recently, there were few countries outside of China that produced an appreciable amount of white, oolong, and Pu-erh.

China:

Chinese teas are so diverse that it would be challenging if not impossible to write a paragraph that accurately depicts their diversity. Some major varieties to come out of China include blacks like Keemun, Yunnan Red, and Lapsang souchong, oolongs like Tie Guan Yin, Se Chung, Feng Huang Dancong, and the Wuyi oolongs, whites like Shou Mei, white peony, and silver needle, greens like Bi Luo Chun, dragonwell, and gunpowder, and also Pu-erh, an aged tea. Many of these styles are now produced in other parts of the world as well.

Indian Teas:

The two most famous types of Indian tea are Darjeeling and Assam. Both are generally black teas, and are named for the regions in which they are produced. Assam, grown at a lower elevation, is a powerful black tea with a strong malty character, and is one of the key ingredients in strong breakfast blends like Irish Breakfast. Darjeeling teas, on the other hand, are grown at a higher altitude, have a lighter character, and are a favorite for English afternoon tea. Less well-known worldwide, but still important, are Nilgiri teas, grown at high elevations in southern India. Recently, India has begun producing a few green, white, and oolong teas as well, especially in Darjeeling.

Ceylon Teas from Sri Lanka:

Ceylon is simply an older term for Sri Lanka, and Ceylon tea just refers to tea grown in Sri Lanka. Like India, Sri Lanka produces mostly black tea, although it has also recently expanded into green teas. Sri Lanka is an island, and has diverse topography. As the topography changes, so does the climate, and thus, Ceylon teas grown in different parts of the island have radically different characters.

Japanese Green Teas:

Japan produces and consumes almost exclusively green tea. In contrast to Chinese green teas, which are pan-fired, Japanese green teas are steamed, giving them very different qualities of taste and aroma. The leaf of Japanese green teas tends to be more flaky, and the aroma more vegetal, often even seaweedy. Some styles of Japanese tea include sencha, bancha, kukicha (twig tea), hojicha (roasted green tea), genmaicha (brown rice tea), gyokuro, and matcha (a powdered green tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony).

Taiwan, Capital of the Oolongs:

Taiwan, in the tea world, is often referred to as Formosa. Although oolong originated in China, Taiwan is the origin of many of the world's best oolongs nowadays. Taiwanese oolong ranges from darker-colored, more oxidized varieties, such as oriental beauty or bai hao oolong (which is sometimes just labelled generically as Formosa oolong), through the intermediate amber oolongs, to jade oolong, and pouchong, an oolong that is barely oxidized and closely resembles green tea. Taiwan's tropical climate allows the tea plant to be grown at higher elevations than elsewhere in the world, producing high mountain oolongs with unique and highly desirable characteristics of aroma and flavor.

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