A Trip Around the World of Teas
Holiday and vacation travel may be impossible for many at the moment, but you can still go around the world of teas and sample some home-brewed delights from far-flung places like Japan, Sri Lanka and Malawi. Here's how.
The UK Tea & Infusions Association is marking International Tea Day – which is held on May 21 – with a series of podcasts called “Around the World in 80 Teas - the First Few Stops,” in which Dr. Sharon Hall, chief executive of the association, and her co-host, Will Battle, author of the World Tea Encyclopedia, discuss some very different teas from around the world that are all produced from Camellia Sinensis tea bushes.
Hall explained, “Our aim is to celebrate the wonderful beverages that can be made from the Camellia sinensis plant. We will be publishing the podcasts in the run up to International Tea Day, on May 21st. This is a U.N. designated day, and it’s designed to promote activities on favor of the sustainable production and consumption of tea, and we hope through the podcasts we will encourage tea drinkers to drink more and to learn more about tea, experiment with what they drink and to add to the pool of tea drinkers.”
Battle said, “One of the great joys of tea is being able access a wealth of variety from around the world at very accessible prices. It has been great to celebrate this diversity by shining the spotlight on a few favorites.”
The “Around the World in 80 Teas” podcast series will explore the following teas:
China: Long Jing – the Imperial Tea
A green tea whose name translates as Dragon Well – the leaves are pan-fired by artisans and the very finest teas are traditionally produced in spring before the Qing Ming Festival. It has a beautiful balance of aroma and delicate toastiness, and it is perhaps the easiest way to understand green tea. Legend has it that the Qianlong Emperor in the 18th century visited Long Jing and was given a cup of the tea which impressed him so much, he conferred imperial status on the 18 tea bushes. Tea is still harvested from these today, and it fetches a higher price per gram than gold.
India: First Flush Darjeeling – the Himalayan Tea
Often called the champagne of teas, Darjeeling is a district in the foothills of the Himalayas, here dominated by the 8,586m Mt. Kanchenjunga, where severe weather patterns produce the tea's exquisite flavor and aroma. With the tea plucking season starting in February, enthusiasts compete to buy the first batch of the first flush – called DJ01. Darjeeling can be used to make excellent Kombucha, the hottest ticket in the current boom of no- and low-alcohol “grown-up” drinking options.
Kenya: Small Holder Tea – the Volcanic Tea
A beautiful, golden tea produced by skilled smallholders living in the high lands east of the Great Rift Valley. Here, the humus filled volcanic soils, high rainfall and warm temperatures create the right environment for healthy bushes whilst the skilled smallholders ensure excellent tea quality. Currently, the U.K. imports most of its black tea from Kenya, as its equatorial location ensures year-round picking.
Malawi: Black Tea – the Red Tea
Malawi is the unsung hero of many of the world's blends, and tea is vital to the economy of Thyolo and Mulanje, the two main planting districts. Malawi is blessed with a benign climate, the awe-inspiring Mount Mulanje, and some very special cultivars that produce a beautiful and much-sought-after reddish-colored tea. Malawi First Flush teas are highly sought after since the country has become a more popular tea growing region for the U.K. market.
Russia: Caravan – the Smoky Tea
While most Western European countries received their China tea by sea, the early Russian supply was imported along the ancient trading route known as the silk road. The year-long journey on camel-back, across dangerous terrains, lent the teas a distinct smoky flavor thanks to their proximity to countless night time campfires. We no longer have the camel caravan but we still have Lapsang Souchong, a tea given its prized smoky flavor by the more modern practices of burning pine wood.
Sri Lanka: High Grown – the Extreme Tea
Altitude and the seasonal impact of the monsoons have a major impact on tea taste and quality since the extreme temperatures – for tea growing anyway – place the tea plants under stress. This creates some amazing flavors, which are aromatic, intense and sometimes accompanied by highly prized menthol notes. High grown teas from Sri Lanka are typically copper-colored and include Uva and Dimbula teas. Premium English Breakfast blends often contains high-grown Ceylon teas.
Japan: Gyokuro & Matcha – the Shaded Teas
Green teas from Japan, especially Guykuro, are created by placing the plants under almost total shade prior to harvest, a process known as ooshita, which causes special sweet notes to develop. Matcha is another example, which is grown in shade for around three weeks. During this time, chlorophyll and amino acid levels build up in the leaves creating the unique flavor and intense green color. Matcha is the go-to tea for the famous Japanese tea ceremony and is steeped in ritual and protocol. It's also increasingly used as a food ingredient and can provide a natural caffeine hit.
China: Oolong, Tieguanyin and Big Red Robe – the Floral Teas
The heartland of oolong tea production is China's Fujian province and Taiwan – these are semi-oxidized teas that vary from greenish rolled oolongs (that give a light, floral liquor reminiscent of lily of the valley, narcissus, orchid or hyacinth) to dark brown leafed oolongs (that yield liquors with deeper, earthier flavors and lingering hints of peach and apricot). Here one tastes Tieguanyin, the ultimate tea for those who don't like tea with its seductive floral notes, and Big Red Robe (Da Hong Pao), which demonstrates the diversity in oolong with its deeper character and intense minerality.
India: Assam Second Flush – the Strong Tea
Assam is another popular tea in the U.K. and is often used in Breakfast blends. Assam is heavily seasonal with the best quality arriving during the second flush, which is marked by a malty rich thickness with great full-bodied mouthfeel. The secrets to the flavor are the rich alluvial soils sitting alongside the floodplain of the Bhramaputra river, combined with the unique period in the season just after the bush awakes from its dormancy but before the full impact of the monsoonal rains. This is the one tea that definitely needs milk to offset its intense, rich flavor.
UK: English Breakfast Tea – the Wake-up Tea
Regular black tea is by far the most popular drink consumed in Britain today, apart from tap water, with over 100 million cups enjoyed every day of the year. English Breakfast is a blend of many of the teas visited already on this world tour – including Kenyan, Ceylon and Assam – so it's truly an international drink worthy of celebrating on International Tea Day.
You can access these insightful podcasts on YouTube here.
To learn more about the UK Tea & Infusions Association, visit Tea.co.uk.