China has gained a lot of popularity for its tea. However, it consumers are based in all parts of the world. We drink tea on a daily basis. It is a beverage so commonly used in our daily life. There are different ways of consuming tea. One can either add milk or not while consuming tea. It is all up to the personal preferences of an individual as to how one wants to have tea. Tea drinkers may also differ on their taste and aroma preferences. Not everybody may like to have sweet-tasting tea. While some may want to consume medicinal black tea, others may want to have diet teas like chrysanthemum that is more popular among tea consumers in America. Since people may be consuming tea for different purposes in mind, their choice of variety may again vary.
There is no doubt that Chinese teas are available in varieties. These types of tea are produced in different provinces of China. They have different colours, though the base colour of tea would be same. However, every variety has its own smell and taste. The fact is that almost all the teas come from the leaves of camellia sinensis plant. The differences between Chinese tea types are caused by the differences in processing methods, geographic location of the plant, and appearance and taste of tea. Tea may not only be served hot, but may also be offered as iced tea. All the varieties of Chinese tea have their own benefits, as well as colours, tastes and aromas that make them slightly different from each other.
Following are some common varieties available of Chinese tea:
- Green Tea: Green tea is obtained from the leaves that are light to dark green in colour. During its preparation, green tea undergoes minimal oxidisation. This makes its leaves keep their original colour, as well as antioxidants that prevent people from cancer and slow down the ageing process. It is the most popular variety of tea consumed in China. The brewing process and timing depends on the type of green tea one is using. Green tea is quite earthy in taste. Its major medicinal benefits include lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. China is known to be the world’s largest green tea exporter, covering more than 80% of the global market. This type of tea is produced all over China, but grown majorly in Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces.
-
Black Tea: Black tea is processed from fermented leaves and is available in reddish brown colour. It usually undergoes more oxidisation as compared to other tea types. As compared to other varieties, black tea generally produces full-bodied flavour and retains it for many years. It is also known as red tea in China. Black tea comprises somewhere around 90% of all the tea sold in the West. It is the most popular form of tea consumed in South Asia. The best brands of black tea are Qihong from Anhui province, Dianhong from Yunnan province, Suhong from Jiangsu province, Chuanhong from Sichuan province, and Huhong from Hunan province.
- Oolong Tea: Oolong tea is processed from semi-fermented leaves. Its oxidisation process takes two to three days. It is a semi-oxidised tea, somewhere between green tea and black tea. Oolong tea’s flavour is sweet and fruity with a light aroma. However, it may also carry a roasted aroma, depending on its production style. This traditional Chinese tea is considered to be of fine quality and mostly enjoyed by tea connoisseurs.
Tieguanyin (Iron Goddess of Mercy) is one of the famous oolong teas.
Fujian, Guangdong and Taiwan provinces on China’s south-east coast are the major producing areas of this kind of tea.
-
White Tea: White tea is not white in appearance, but is named so because of its derivation from the silvery-white hair present on tea plant buds. It is actually pale yellow in looks and is light to taste. This type of tea is made from young leaves and buds that have undergone little oxidisation. White tea is good for health, as it contains the most antioxidants. Most of the Chinese white tea is consumed locally and is often served with food in southern China. The finest grades are costly. This type of tea is grown exclusively in China. This tea is grown in the Zhejiang province. The best known white tea is Pai Mu Tan (White Peony), which is made using new leaf buds and a few very young leaves.
- Pu-erh Tea: Pu-erh tea, pronounced as “POO-air”, is grows in the Yunnan province of China. This type of tea is used for medicinal purposes. Ripe pu-erh tea is especially good for older people. There are two types of pu-erh tea – one is naturally fermented pu-erh tea (also known as raw tea or Sheng tea) and the other is artificially fermented pu-erh tea (also known as ripe tea or Shou tea). Pu-erh tea is usually compressed into various shapes like that of a brick, cake, bowl, mushroom, melon, or dragon pearl.
- Scented Tea: This is a type of tea common in northern China and a favourite among foreigners. It is a mixture of green tea processed with flower petals, such as those of rose, jasmine, orchid, magnolia, and plum. However, the base tea can also be white or black tea. Among these, the most common is jasmine tea. Moli Hua Cha is a scented tea with the fragrance of jasmine flower. Earl Grey is another example of scented tea. Scented tea mostly gives the specific aroma from the flower used and a subtle sweet taste. However, it is not recommended to be consumed in high amounts, as scented tea may have side effects like insomnia or diarrhoea.
With so many varieties available, the Chinese tea offers a lot. While the varieties differ in some ways, their most common thing is that they belong to one family called tea. If you have an eye on a specific tea type, then just let us know and we will bring it to your doorstep. Buy all your preferred Chinese teas under one roof of Chinese Tea Suppliers. Contact us to know more about our operations and offerings.
