Gunpowder Tea

Gunpowder tea is so called because when it is made each tea leaf is rolled into a ball, thus, when it was first being imported it was seen to resemble the gunpowder pellets used in British naval canon. In the Zhejiang province of China, where the tea originates, it is more commonly known as 'pearl tea,' its production there dates back to the 7th century. 

Unusually gunpowder tea is not fully cooked meaning that a good tea, as well as being tightly rolled and dark green in colour, should retain a shine to indicate freshness.

In infusion the leaves unfurl. The tea should be a bright green/olive colour and have a mellow but delicate taste with a hint of smokiness.  Gunpowder tea is often mixed with peppermint to produce a 'Moroccan Mint' tea.  In Morocco this mint tea is at the heart of the social tea ritual and not to drink at least two cups is seen as an insult to the host.

Gunpowder tea is high in fluoride which helps to prevent tooth caveties.

Jasmine

Jasmine Tea is made with either Pouchong ('standard' Chinese green) or Oolong tea and Jasmine flowers.  The flowers are harvested during the day and stored in a cool place until night.  Between 6 and 8 in the evening the flowers begin the bloom and are layered with the tea in a process known as 'mating,' this imparts the Jasmine scent to the tea and with the higher grades may be carried out as many as seven times.  The tea is then re-cooked to prevent spoilage and the very best grades are rolled up into 'pearls.'

In infusion the tea has a very delicate and highly fragrant flavour which makes for a particularly good iced tea. 

It has been claimed that that the daily consumption of Jasmine tea is effective in preventing certain cancers.

Oolong

Oolong Tea translates literally as 'black dragon' tea, with various legends linked to the naming. A traditional Chinese tea, Oolong combines features of both black and green tea yet has a flavour little in common with either.

In order to enjoy the flavor and rich aroma unique to Oolong tea, an art of drinking it delicately was developed. This involves drinking Oolong tea by using a tiny teapot and a tiny teacup, a style adopted by many Chinese people to the present day.

Lapsang Souchong

This variety is a black tea originally from Mount Wuyi in South Western China. This is a small area, and as a result real Lapsang Souchong is very rare, though imitations are widely available.

The distinctive flavour, described as 'bold' and 'assertive', derives from the drying process, where the leaves are withered over smoky pine fires. Lapsang Souchong is complemented by salty and spicy dishes, and is well suited to outdoor enthusiasts.

Sencha

A Japanese tea, meaning 'common tea', Sencha is a popular green tea. It is made from only the dark green leaves gathered in the early spring of the Shizuoka region.

Sencha has a natural sweetness with a grassy aroma and, once brewed, the infusion appears green, unlike the yellow colour of the Chinese green teas. It is the tea most likely to be offered in a Japanese household or restaurant and is prized for it's high vitamin content.

Genmaicha

Genmaicha is a green tea blended with roasted brown rice, leading to it being often called 'Popcorn Tea'. It is a Japanese tea and was invented by Horaido, a tea shop in Kyoto, around 1920.

Being low in caffeine it can be drunk late into the evening without disturbing sleep and is said to help digestion.Genmaicha has a light, golden yellow colour and a roasted, nutty flavour.

Assam

This tea gets it's name from the region of India where the native tea plants are harvested to produce the tea. Assam is a black tea known for its malty body and strong, bright colour and is common in blends for 'breakfast' teas.

The Brahamaputra River runs through the Assam valley, supplying rich land for agriculture, and today Assam produces more than half the tea grown in India.

Ceylon Uva

Uva is a tea district on the Eastern highlands of Sri Lanka, where Ceylon tea is grown. This black tea has a clean tasting liqour, with a fresh concentrated flavour and is typically harvested in August.

Ceylon Dimbula

Dimbula, in Western Sri Lanka, was one of the first areas to have tea planted in the 1870s when James Taylor arrived, having aquired experience of tea cultivation in North India. A full flavoured, aromatic black tea, Ceylon Dimbula has large leaves and is grown at an altitude of 3,500 feet or above.

Kenya

Tea was introduced into Kenya by European settlers in the early 20th century, with Great Rift Valley ideally suited to tea growing. Kenyan tea is predominantly black tea, although limited amounts of green tea is also produced. Kenya has grown to be the fourth largest tea producer in the world, and tea is now the most important agricultural product in Kenya.