All tea leaves are green when harvested. Black tea has been fermented and oxidized, then exposed to high temperatures in an oven or over a fire to turn it black. After firing the tea is sorted according to size. The size of the leaf or particle determines the grade of the tea.
Black tea is generally stronger in flavor and contains more caffeine than white or green teas. More after the jump…
Varieties of Black Tea
Popular Chinese Black Teas
Lapsang Souchong is a strong black tea which derives its smoky flavor from drying over burning pine.
Keemun is a black tea from the Anhui Province of China. Keemun is recognized as one of the 10 Great Chinese Teas.
Dian Hong is a gourmet Chinese black tea which is used alone and sometimes blended. Dian Hong is known for the golden leaf buds or golden tips present in the dried tea. Good quality Dian Hong tea brews a golden orange color tea with a sweet gentle aroma.
Ying De Hong is a black from Guangdong province. It is often a poor quality tea, mostly exported. The quality varieties often look like leaf Oolong. Ying De Hong tea has a cocoa like aroma and a sweet aftertaste.
Indian and Sri Lankan Black Teas
Assam is a black tea grown at sea level and produced in Assam, India. Assam teas are known for its body, flavor and strong color. Assam teas are often used in blends, especially English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast and Scottish Breakfast Teas.
Ceylon is a black tea that is grown in Sri Lanka (Ceylon became Sri Lanka in 1972). Ceylon is popular alone and in blends. It has a crisp aroma with just a hint of citrus. Ceylon tea is grown at various altitudes and varies in taste accordingly.
Darjeeling tea is prized as one of the best black teas. It comes from Darjeeling in West Bengal, India. Darjeeling tea brews a thin-bodied, light-colored tea with a nice floral aroma. It is slightly astringent, and has a musky spiciness known as “muscatel” Most Darjeeling teas are black teas; however, Darjeeling oolong and Darjeeling green teas are becoming more popular.
Nilgiri tea is a dark intensely aromatic, fragrant and flavourful tea grown in the southern portion of the Western Ghats mountains of Southern India. Nilgiri tea produces a higher number of cups of tea per measure and is highly sought after.
Other Black Teas:
Vietnamese teas brews a full bodied and darker tea with a pleasant sweet aroma.
Nepalese teas are similar to the lower grades of Darjeeling.
Rize Tea from the eastern Black Sea of Turkey brews a crystal clear cup of mahogany colored tea.
