The majority of us know that tea originates from China. Its history dates to medicinal uses as far back as 2737BC. It has journeyed through the ages and through the continents, bridging borders and cultures. It has created trade routes and started revolutions. Today it is produced in over 45 countries globally.
But what is tea and how is it classified? Today we understand tea as a hot beverage consisting of different leaves and herbs. What many do not know is that its classification, for modern adaptation, has expanded to include many options not technically “tea”. The scientific classification of tea is a plant, one single plant, called “Camellia Sinensis”. Yes, you read right, one plant. Anything not of this plant is technically not tea. There are several variants of this plant, but it is one family. So how does one get all the variants you ask? Simple.
This incredible, adaptable, absorbent and beneficial plant can be found as either a shrub or a tree. In fact, one can yield drinkable tealeaves from one plant for up to 100 years, and the Chinese variant can grow up to 100ft high. It grows best in tropical, humid conditions. The character, colour and flavour of each tea is determined by the location of the plantation, climate, seasonal changes, the minerals and drainage of the soil, altitude, cultivation and plucking methods, processing as well as brewing. In other words, if you take one plant and grow it in different areas, you will get different results. Further more, each tea produces different grades based on leaf size at the end of processing, each of which yields different flavours.
Camellia Sinensis Tree
Camellia Sinensis Shrub
This brings us to the point, what is the difference between the teas? There are 6 main tea classifications – Black, White, Oolong, Green, Yellow and Puerh. To determine which is which, one looks at the manufacturing method used.
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Black tea involves four main stages – withering, rolling, oxidation and drying. Leaves are air dried and withered for up to 18 hours, reducing water content and softening them for rolling, which can be done up to three times. This twists the leaves and as a result breaks the cells inside releasing natural chemicals and juices beginning the oxidation process. The leaf is then spread out in thin layers and left to oxidize for 20 to 30 minutes depending on the outside temperature. Finally, to ensure the leaves are evenly dried, they are fed hot air in temperatures of up to 120 °C.
Black Tea Loose-Leaf
White tea is a lot simpler. The youngest buds are picked and air-dried. Et Voila! Don’t be fooled though, it is considered the finest of teas and is pretty pricy! Green tea is considered “un-oxidized” because there are no chemical changes during manufacturing, which involves slight withering, then steaming or pan firing, followed by a series of firing and rolling to shape and dry the leaf. Sometimes the leaves are hand rolled! Yellow tea, a very rare and delicate tea, follows the same process as green tea with one extra step. The leaf is exposed to gentle heat and left to ‘ripen’, which kills enzymes. The leaf is then wrapped in a special paper while still warm and left to dry naturally for a few hours.
White Tea Leaves
Green Tea Leaves
Yellow Tea Leaves
Oolong tea is a partially oxidized tea, which happens in one of two ways. To produce a brown leaf, it is sun withered and then dried on bamboo baskets indoors, which are turned every two hours and shaken to break cells. The leaves are then turned inside a hot panning machine for 5 to 10 minutes and then dried in hot ovens. The second option, yielding a much greener leaf, follows the same withering and tumbling process as the browner leaf, however, the leaves are put through the hot panning machine when they reaches a much lower oxidation level and are allowed to dry overnight. The next day the leaves are wrapped in large cloth bags of up to 9kg and rolled in a special machine to bruise the leaves, up to 60 times! It is then dried in large ovens.
Various Oolong Tea
Puerh teas are classified as either “raw” or “cooked”. Raw Puerh is withered and pan fired, rolled and kneaded, then sun or air-dried. The leaves are steamed and compressed into flat rectangular slabs or round cakes or left loose. These teas are then left to age for up to 50 years in a controlled environment, allowing a really slow oxidation process during this time. These can sell for thousands of dollars. The cooked method is basically a faster method of the raw. The leaves are covered for up to 40 days in a very hot and humid room after the initial withering and drying process, with regular uncovering and turning.
Puerh Cake
Any one of these teas can be flavoured or scented with spices, herbs, fruits or flowers. All of which are blended with the teas at the end of the manufacturing process. These must not be confused with herbal teas, which to make clear, are not part of the Camellia family. Herbal teas include Rooibos, Chamomile and Honeybush. The PC name, technically not including the word ‘tea’, is “infusion”, “herbal” or “tisane”. Make sure to check your packaging to make it clear whether there is actually “tea” mixed inside or just herbs, flowers, spices and fruit.
Rooibos Leaves
Chamomile Flowers
To sum it all up: one plant is grown in an effective area, then manufactured in a particular and complicated way to yield one of 6 varieties, which can then be further blended to produce an array of flavours. Each is brewed in a specific way to advance the flavour. So next time you have your cup of tea, which I hope is loose-leaf (see why here), remember all the effort, energy and love that has been part of bringing you that perfect “ah” moment.
Loose Leaf Tea:-
Secondly, the ease of using loose leaf!
