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As we all know, there are different types and varieties of tea: from the most famous green tea, to black tea, gradually moving on to less known varieties such as white tea, oolong, and pu-erh tea. Each of these tea varieties actually comes from a single plant: Camellia sinensis. Let's debunk the first myth: there are no different plants that give rise to different types of tea. There is only one! You can delve into the topic by reading our article dedicated to the tea plant.
Initially, this plant was cultivated in China - as we have already discussed in the article on the history and origins of tea - and then spread throughout much of Asia and elsewhere, to the West, where it is now a beloved beverage (P.S. have you ever wondered how to write tea in Italian? We talk about it in this blog article). Over time, 4 different variants of Camellia Sinensis have been created (the two most well-known are Camellia Sinensis Chinese and Camellia Sinensis Indian Assam).
What changes in the diversification of types and varieties of tea is the processing of the leaves, cultivars, preparations, and so on. Just like the various types of wine that always come from the same plant, the vine.
CHOOSE AMONG HUNDREDS OF TEA VARIETIES
We can confidently say that the main differences within the different types and varieties of tea, are due to the processing of the tea leaves:
To talk about the properties and benefits of tea would require one or more dedicated articles (which is why we covered this topic in a post about the properties of matcha tea, one discussing theine and caffeine in tea, and one about the antioxidant properties of different tea varieties). Therefore, we try to simplify everything without being too simplistic.
The difference between the various types is very important because it directly impacts the properties of the tea:
There are also other types and varieties of tea that are altered from the original ones: these are further manipulated, treated, and processed to create the so-called processed teas (called zai jiagong chalei 再加工茶类 in Chinese).
Scented tea is the classic beverage with the addition of flowers. It is generally produced in the country where it is harvested. Often, fairly well-known flowers like jasmine (Jasminum sambac), rose (Rosa rugosa), and osmanthus (Osmantus fragrans) are used. Additionally, they may contain residues or parts of the flowers used for scenting.
Flavored tea is the classic beverage with the addition of essences and aromatic substances. This process is carried out by adding essential oils, spices, fruit, and other flavors, creating a wide range of tea types and varieties. Flavored teas are extremely popular and represent the most important variety in the tea market in Italy and Europe. For example, we have dozens of them in our online tea shop!
Smoked tea is simply the classic beverage smoked with conifer wood smoke. The most well-known smoked tea on the international market is Lapsang souchong black tea, and yellow smoked tea.
A blend is a mixture of teas of different varieties and quality grades. Blends usually consist of black teas or other homogeneous teas. Blending allows for the creation of excellent products at a low cost, with a unique aroma perfected over time by the company that produces and markets them.
Pressed tea is any type of tea pressed and modified into different forms. The technique derives from the classic tea drying process, where the tea is softened with steam and then pressed. It is produced in China with green, post-fermented, and black teas.
A special category is the tea and flower bouquet, a composition of tea and flowers tied in a bunch. The bouquet is made with fresh leaves and flowers, compacted and dried. They are very appreciated for their taste and are marketed in Italy as "tea flowers" or other fantasy names chosen by importers and retailers.
One topic we like to emphasize with our customers in our store and online shop is the difference between pure and flavored teas. The real difference lies in the variety of tea types and varieties with delicate and personalized nuances for each of them.
Pure teas, on the other hand, are a different story. The difference between pure and flavored teas is given by numerous variables, starting from the terroir to the chosen plant cultivar, and then all the creativity, taste, and knowledge that goes into processing tea leaves.
The tea plant, camellia sinensis, is an evergreen plant with always green leaves that provide nourishment through photosynthesis. The tea we drink is made by harvesting the plant's leaves, which theoretically could be collected throughout the year, but practically it is not quite so.
The leaves used to make tea are the youngest ones, which the plant offers only 4 times a year with flushes, in English.
These periods vary greatly with the diversification of the collection locations because, effectively, the climate changes from one continent to another. Therefore, this applies to both altitudes and latitudes.
So we have 4 different harvests in the cultivation of all types of tea.
Finally, we address a topic that is particularly dear to us and on which we have been fighting since the beginning of this adventure culminating in the opening of our online tea shop: the difference between loose leaf tea and tea bags. Most people have never opened a tea bag purchased in a supermarket, so, in large distribution, and if they had, they would have realized that inside these bags there is only dust. A powder that, by now, has lost all its properties, old, devoid of true taste and that has been sitting on the shelf for who knows how long. It is an experiment that we strongly recommend doing to understand exactly the difference between the different types and varieties of tea and the difference between tea bags and our processed leaves.
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