History

Tea, the brew steeped in mystery and intrigue, has been around for centuries, and it all began in China. In the year of 2737 B.C., the story goes that Chinese emperor Shen Nung accidentally discovered tea while strolling through his garden. A leaf from the Camellia sinensis bush fell into his cup of hot water and tea was born.

Green, black, oolong, and white tea all come from the same plant, the Camellia sinensis. Where the tea is grown and how it is processed determines the type of tea that it becomes. For black tea, the fresh plucked leaves are withered or spread out to dry eight to ten hours in a cool room making the leaf soft and pliable. Now the tea is ready to be rolled, a process that releases the juices in the leaf, which causes oxidation, or fermentation, as it is called in the tea industry. Green and white tea is not fermented. These teas are withered leaves that have been steamed to stop the fermentation process. Black, pouchong, and oolong teas are fermented. Pouchong is fermented 15% or less, oolong is fermented 75%, while black tea is fully fermented. The longer the tea is fermented the more caffeine it contains. Also, the fermentation process causes the flavor and aromas to become rich and full.

At last, the tea is ready to be graded, packed and shipped to its destination.
Tea is grown in many countries, but Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), China, Japan, India and Taiwan (formerly called Formosa) are the most well known tea producing countries. Below is a list of these countries with the names of the teas or estates that make them memorable.

China - View Teas

Green Tea: Gunpowder, Bao Jong or Pouchong, Lung Ching (Dragon’s Well), Gu Zhang Mao Jian, Hyson, Pi Lo Chun
Black Tea: Lapsang Souchong, Keemun, Yunnan, North China Congou, South China Congou, Pu’erh
White Tea: Yin Zhen (Silver Needle), Pai Mu Tan
Oolong: Fenghuang Dancong, Wuyi, Ti Kuan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy)

Sri Lanka - View Teas

Black Tea: Allen Valley, Ceylon, Berubeula, Nuwara, Eliya, Kenilworth, Uva Highlands, St. James
Green Tea: Ceylon, Nature’s Garden OP (Koslande)

Taiwan - View Teas

Oolong: Formosa Oolong, Imperial Oolong, Formosa White Tip Oolong, Tung Ting

India - View Teas

Black Tea: Assam, Kondoli Organic GFOP, Darjeeling, Castleton SFTGOP First Flush, Margaret’s Hope FTGFOP, Makaibari FTGOP1S, Dooars, Nilgiri, Sikkim, Namring Upper SFGFOP1 Second Flush, Tigerhill OP

Japan – View Teas

Green Tea: Sencha, Sencha Honyama, Bancha, Gen Mai Cha, Gyokuro, Hojicha,
Matcha

There are many other tea growing countries besides the ones listed above. Kenya, Malawi, Indonesia, Turkey, Argentina and Vietnam to name a few. The United States is experimenting with tea plantings in Oregon and Washington, as well as having a tea plantation outside Charleston, South Carolina.