What is Black Tea?

Black teas can vary greatly from country to country and from region to region. 

What is black tea made from?

There are two main varieties of tea plants, the small leaved Chinese variety (Camellia sinesisis) and the large leaved assamica plant (Camellia assamica) both are mainly used for black tea.  These tea plants can grow into a tree but are typically pruned to waist height for easier plucking.

How is black tea made?

• Black teas are more oxidized than oolong, green and white teas and generally have a stronger flavor.  Black tea undergoes a full fermentation process composed of four basic steps - withering, rolling, fermenting, and firing.
• First, the plucked leaves are spread out to wither.
• The withered leaves are then rolled, in order to release the chemicals within the leaf that are essential to its final color and flavor.
• The rolled leaves are spread out once more to absorb oxygen (oxidize / ferment), causing the leaves to turn from green to coppery red.
• Finally, the oxidized leaves are fired in order to arrest fermentation, turning the leaf black and giving it the recognizable tea scent.

Where does Black Tea come from?

Ceylonese Black Tea

Ceylonese black tea is produced in Sri Lanka (formally Ceylon).  Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar, the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the Maldives.  Ceylonese black tea is one of the most popular black teas.  The black pekoe version has a unique drying process.  The leaves are fermented prior to drying which causes the essential oils to be preserved.  The taste of the tea may vary from region to region, the aroma of the tea is similar to that of citrus. 

Ceylon black teas come in numerous varieties based on the region. Dimbulla and Dickoya teas are cultivated at a level of 3,500 feet or higher.  The Kandy variety is a district of tea grown at 2,500 feet or more.  The Morawk Korale tea is grown at 2,500 feet.  The Nuwara Eliya is grown at a high altitude of 6,000 feet or more and Uva is cultivated at 2,800 feet or more.  Each region produces a distinct taste and uniqueness to the tea.  Ceylon black teas are very good for blending teas and are specifically good for iced tea because they don't have the bitterness and the cloudiness that comes from brewing certain types of black tea.

Chinese Black Tea

Chinese black teas are divided into two main categories: Northern Chinese (Keemun teas from Anhui province and similar teas such as Golden Monkey) and Southern Chinese which are the black teas from the Yunnan province.  The Chinese black tea comes from the Camellia Sinensis, this tea bush produces a flavor that is a lot brisker and lighter then the Indian and Ceylon black teas. 

Pu-Erh is a special kind of tea which is made from green or black tea, fermented (using a secret process passed down for centuries), and pressed into cakes or bricks and stored for several years before being offered for sale. Aged Pu-Erh is also available as a loose tea. Like a fine wine, Pu-Erh's flavor mellows and improves over time – some highly prized (and very expensive!) Pu-Erh Cakes are over 30 years old!

Indian Black Tea

Indian black tea typically comes from Assam.  Assam is the world's largest tea-growing region, lying on either side of the Brahmapura River, and bordering Bangladesh and Burma. Assam black tea is produced from the plant Camellia assamica which is a little different from the Chinese tea plant Camellia sinesisis.  The leaves of the Assam tea bush are dark green and glossy and fairly wide compared to the Chinese tea plant.  It produces delicate white blossoms.

This black tea is known for its body, briskness, malty flavor, and strong bright color.  This black tea is harvested twice, a "first flush" and a "second flush". The first flush is picked during late March.  The second flush is harvested later and is sweeter and more full-bodied.  The second flush is generally considered superior to the first flush tea. There are three major tea producing areas in India: Darjeeling, Assam, and Nilgiri. Black teas are also available from Sikkim, an area bordering Darjeeling.

English Style Black Tea

English Style black teas are a blend of teas originating from different regions.  English breakfast tea is traditionally a blend of teas from Assam, Ceylon and Kenya.  It is one of the most popular blended teas and the most common in the British tea culture.  

• English breakfast tea is a black tea that is full-bodied, robust, and rich, it typically goes well with milk and sugar. 
• Earl Grey tea (classic) is a tea blend (Indian and Ceylon) with the addition of oil extracted from the rind of the bergamot orange, a fragrant citrus fruit.
• Lapsang Souchong black tea is originally from the Wuyi region of the Chinese province of Fujjan.  It can be referred to as a smoked tea.  It is distinct from all other types of tea because the lapsang leaves are traditionally smoke-dried over pinewood fires, producing a distinctive smoky flavour.

Health benefits of black tea

• Black tea contains about 50mg of caffeine per cup compared to 100-350mg per cup with coffee. 
• Black tea contains a number of antioxidants which may help the body fight chemical by-products. 
• It can combat inflammation and support healthy immune function.
• It may benefit cardiovascular health, decrease the chance of diabetes, it may even fight cancer. 

It has not been proven that drinking black tea can prevent or treat any health conditions but many studies have shown that drinking black tea may offer some health benefits.  Always consult your doctor and do your research but black tea has been used for centuries for social, medical and cultural purposes.