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Great black teas are produced all over the world but are traditional to and usually considered the best quality from China, India, and Sri Lanka. Teas from India and Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka is still refered to as Ceylon in the tea world) are strong, full, and hold up well to milk and sugar, in other words the English style of drinking tea (try the Ceylon). Darjeelings, also from India, are lighter and more delicate. They are grown from the smaller Chinese variety of the tea bush or a hybrid of the Chinese variety and are processed with what is referred to as a hard wither that results in leaves that are multicolored and fragrant (our house flushes, GFOP 1st Flush, Castleton or Margaret’s Hope 1st Flush). Chinese black teas, similar to Darjeelings, are stand-alone teas meaning you don’t need milk or sugar (try any of our Keemuns for fine examples of Chinese black tea). One tea worth highlighting is Pu-ehr, this is the only tea that actually ferments, as it is aged over many years and develops a unique, woody taste that is unlike anything else in the tea world (our Organic Aged Yunnan Pu-ehr is a mild yet excellent version of this classic). Claims of its health benifits are vast and wide reaching. In southern China Pu'ehr is often consumed alongside a fatty meal to aid in digestion, so try it next time you order in Dim-sum.
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