Black tea is different than green, white or oolong tea.

This is due to the level of oxidation to which black tea is exposed. This makes the caffeine and flavor of this type of tea higher and stronger than others, respectively. Nonetheless it still comes from the Camellia sinensis bush like other teas.

Shelf Life

It keeps its flavor much longer than green tea. That made it a perfect item for trading throughout history. Blocks of it could be used as currency in Mongolia, Siberia and Tibet. In the last 200 years it became the proverbial king of the tea world in terms of popularity, comprising all but 10 percent of sales in the Western world.

Naming

It’s been traditional for it to receive the name of the region in which it’s grown. Some varieties include:

-Lapsang Souchong: this has a smoky flavor and comes from China

-Keemun: Also from China this has a fruity-flowery flavor.

-Assam: from India. A tea with rich body

-Ceylon:from Sri Lanka.This tea has citrus notes.

-Kenyan: African with flavor like Assam

-Turkish: depending on the preparation this
tea can be very heady or very light

-Java: Indonesian and very nutty

In addition to the straight-up black teas, this leaf is often mixed with other items to create unique flavor. For example, Earl Grey Tea has bergamot oil for aroma and flavor.

From Harvest to Table

When black tea gets harvested it moves to a place where air is blown on the leaves. A good quality tea will be processed by hand. Next, the tea gets oxidized and dried to stop oxidization.

The Perfect Cup

One teaspoon to 6 ounces of water will make a pretty hearty brew. It will not become bitter when you steep it in very hot water, and in fact benefits from it. On average about 4 minutes steeping makes a rich cup of tea. The longer you steep, the stronger and more bitter it becomes.

Potential Health Benefits:

Because it derives from the same plant as other teas, it has anti-oxidant qualities. Some people believe the longer oxidation in this type decreases some of those benefits. Additionally the caffeine level may not be healthy for some individuals, particularly those with hypertension.

Having said that there is some evidence to suggest that it can be helpful to weight loss, preventing cancer, decreasing bad cholesterol, and overall well-being.

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