KNOWING YOUR TEA IN A NUTSHELL

Talking of teas is a humungus task. It’s a vast field, an extensive world of aromas, fragrance, liquour, leaf size, cuts, harvest time and more. Hence speaking about teas in a nutshell, we know that this world of ours, has a little over 3000 varieties of tea. Every variant comes with its own specific characteristics, smell and flavours. The naming of teas, growing, and processing of teas is very similar to wine in many ways.

Camellia sinensis is an evergreen shrub or small tree growing in cold, hilly, wet climate. Its leaves and leaf buds are plucked by hands, and used to produce tea. Common names for Camellia Sinensis include tea plant, the tea shrub, or tea tree( not the ones from which we get tea-tree oil).
This is a variant commonly found in India and East Asia. Tea leaves are harvested and further processed for an energy rich cup of tea. Fresh tea leaves are said to contain 4% caffeine and theobromine too.

We get six main types of teas from Camellia sinensis- white tea, green tea, yellow tea, oolong tea, black tea, and dark tea(post fermented tea).
All or most of these teas are all harvested from one of the two major varieties grown today, Camellia sinensis var.sinensis and Camellia.sinesis. var. assamica. They are all processed and treated differently to achieve the required levels of oxidation[

Of these all White tea is the least processed. Black tea is one of the most oxidized and green tea also one of the least.

In the tea market there are four main varieties of tea in demand: White Tea, Green Tea, Oolong Tea, and Black Tea. Black tea is the most common in the western world, but green tea is becoming very popular and rapidly gaining in popularity, as people become more health conscious.
Tea plants grow into a tree if left undisturbed, but in cultivations the plants are cut and pruned to a height till waist for easy plucking.

Many high quality teas are grown at high altitudes, up to 1,500 meters, as these tea plants grow more slowly in such terrains and climates and acquire more flavor.
India is home to three main kinds of tea:
1. Darjeeling ~This tea is delicately flavoured, aromatic and is one of the finest teas in the world. The Darjeeling plantations have three types depending on the harvests, known as ‘flushes’, all with a unique flavor. The First or the spring flush tea is light and aromatic. The second or summer flush us a tea with a bit more bite. The third, or autumn flush produces a tea that is a little less in quality.

2. Assam~ as the name suggests this tea comes from the north eastern part of India. This tea is rich, flavourfull and full-bodied.

3. Nilgiri~ this tea comes from the southern part of India and is subtle and rather gentle. This tea is frequently blended with other, more robust and strong teas for both flavour and its liquor.

Written by Dr. Madhumita

Source: people from the industry and internet.