The Tea Guide

Camellia Sinensis Unveiled!

From its ancient beginnings, which may date as early as 2700 B.C., tea has grown to become the world’s most popular beverage*. It’s now grown on every continent, except for Europe and North America. And ever since ancient times, tea has been consumed for both pleasure and for its mystifying healing properties.

All teas come from an evergreen shrub called Camellia Sinensis. In the wild, Camellia Sinensis can grow as high as fifteen feet. Today, you’ll find it on tea plantations trimmed to a comfortable picking height of about four feet or less.

There are three variations of Camellia Sinensis, and all are native only to China and Assam, India. These three include the original, small-leaved Chinese varietal, the larger-leaved Assam variety which can thrive at higher altitudes and colder climates, and a hybrid of the two.

*Water doesn’t count.

Familiar to all tea lovers are the four major types of tea: White, Green, Oolong and Black. Their differences in appearance, flavor and aroma come from the inherent quality of the leaves, the environments they’re grown in, and the ways in which they are processed. Although the nuances of flavor and aroma can vary greatly, there are some general guidelines for each type:

White tea is, hands down, the most low-maintenance tea out there. All that it requires is picking and air-drying. White tea has clear flavors with delicately nutty or vegetal notes. Traditionally harvested in China, white teas have become the champion of many health studies because of their high antioxidant levels.

Green teas are most famously from China, typically feature grassy and vegetal notes, and are just as renowned as White teas for their health benefits.

Black and Oolong teas are grown in most of the world’s tea producing regions. Oolong tea is semi-oxidized and its delicate floral flavors and characteristics bear hints of both black and green teas. Black tea, the reigning popularity champ among all teas, is famous for its sweet, malty, and substantial flavors.