BLACK TEA
Black tea, known as red tea or Hong Cha in East Asia, is a variation in tea production. The tea leaves of the tea plant are rolled after picking and wilting. Rolling causes plant sap to emerge, which oxidizes with oxygen, and the tea leaves change color from red, copper to black.
After the tea leaves have reached the desired degree of oxidation, they are dried and sorted by size and color, usually using a sifting machine or by hand. Depending on the region and the type of tea the tea garden specializes in, the infusions can be light yellow, orange, red or dark brown.
BLACK TEA FROM CHINA
Black tea, among other types, is produced in Chinese provinces such as Yunnan, Anhui, and Fujian. Our China Morning grows at an altitude of approximately 1800 m, in a heavily wooded area in Yunnan. It is typically smooth in character, with notes of caramel, dark chocolate, and dried grape, and a deep red infusion.
LAPSANG SOUCHONG
An exceptional Chinese black tea, Lapsang Souchong. A black tea with a smoky flavor. Originally, the large tea leaves are smoked over smoldering pine wood in bamboo baskets, roasted in a wok, rolled until fully oxidized, and then smoked again. Since this is a very labor-intensive and, above all, a craftsmanship-demanding process, the method is often abbreviated by adding flavor oils and mixed with any black tea.
That's right!!! Our Lapsang is still smoked over pine wood. This smoky black tea also comes from the Wuyi Mountains, which is a rarity as it is a rather small area in Fujian province.
Wild and rough... a good cigar... a pinch of life experience... the smell of wood... the taste of Lapsang...
DARJEELING TEA
Darjeeling is a special tea from the tea-growing region of the same name. This relatively small mountain district is located in the north of India, on the southern slopes of the Himalayas. A truly good Darjeeling flows through the body, awakens the senses, tingles the palate... It is rightly called the Champagne of teas. It also has its price, and rightly so. For one kilogram of a high-end First Flush, approximately 12,000 tea leaves are needed, whereas for one kilogram of Assam, 4,000 tea leaves are required. The challenging harvesting conditions due to the steep slopes of the tea gardens also demand time and perseverance.
The abbreviation contains the root...
The letter combination in the detailed description of the First and Second Flushes in our webshop indicates whether the tea consists of whole leaves, leaf buds, and/or leaf particles, as well as whether the leaf is finely or coarsely rolled.
The highest quality grade in Darjeeling is the Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe 1.
Translated... a rarity, young shoots with delicate down on the underside of the leaf, fragrant delicate leaf buds, the first two delicate tea leaves, carefully picked below the bud, many bright tea tips. Spicy and zesty in taste.
In our webshop, you will find fantastic First and Second Flushes of the highest grading. But also fine OP's, Orange Pekoes, tea leaves with delicate down or FOP's, the F stands for flowery... fragrant delicate tea leaves. And of course, it's a must that it is grown without pesticides. For the pickers, nature, and ourselves.
A small note for newcomers to the world of black teas: If you have a sensitive stomach, Darjeeling or Nepalese from the first harvest is a real challenge. In that case, a soft, full-bodied Assam or a red tea from China would be more recommendable.
NEPAL
Our Nepal High Mountain First Flush comes from eastern Nepal. Perhaps from one of the highest tea gardens in the world. Zesty and floral... fantastic in taste and for us - unbelievably - in price for this top quality!!!