What is Tea?

Tea is a member of the Camellia family, and in its natural state grows into trees up to 10m high, which can survive for hundreds of years. Old trees are still found in the mountain forests on the borders of Vietnam, China and Laos, and the large leaves from these trees are very highly prized.

Over the years, seeds from these trees have been planted out, and the resulting plants bred into a variety of different strains. Most tea now comes from specially planted fields of pruned bushes - either on small farms or large commercial tea estates - but it is still possible to find tea harvested from trees in the wild.

In almost all cases, the finest teas are made from the fresh young shoots of the tea bush. From these leaves, an amazing variety of different teas can be produced, depending on the process method, the weather and the skill of the teamaker. One of the most exciting developments in recent years has been the explosion of innovation in tea manufacture all over the world, with some areas not known for speciality grades now producing some remarkable new teas. There is always something new to see, and we will be featuring some examples on the site.

Teas are categorised as White, Green, Oolong or Black, and these are explained in other parts of the site.

Is large leaf tea better than small leaf?

Some background is important here!

Small leaf tea is almost unknown In China, where tea originated and was drunk for thousands of years before being cultivated in other countries. The leaves were heated, rolled, twisted and baked very gently, in order to keep them intact and to preserve their flavour. As tea expanded into other countries, the process was mechanised using large rollers and applying pressure to the tea, squeezing the leaves to rupture the cells, a process essential for making black tea. One of the consequences of this was the production of broken leaves, and small fragments, whcih were separated using meshes or winnowing devices (this is where the name 'fannings' comes from).

These small pieces of tea were seen as a waste by-product and accumulated into piles on the floor, although in many cases they had a good flavour. In the early 20th century enterprising tea packers in the UK bought these teas and started to market them as the 'choicest tips of the tea leaf', and making all sorts of elaborate health claims for them. The invention of the teabag in the 1950s made small leaf teas very desirable, and led eventually to the development of machines specifically designed to make them, by crushing the leaves rather than rolling. Some teas produced in this way have exceptional strength and flavour.

So are large leaf teas better? The best examples certainly have much more subtle and complex flavours, particularly if allowed to brew properly, but there are also some very poor quality varieties that have little or no flavour, and are sold purely on their leaf appearance.

So are large leaf teas better?  OK, yes.

Tea Freshness

Most things taste better when they're fresh. Fine tea is often compared with fine wine, and we think of wine improving as it ages - true, but once the bottle is opened, its life is very short. Oxygen is the enemy of wine, and also the enemy of tea, but some teas are affected much more than others.

If tea is properly protected, its flavour can survive for a very long time. We vacuum-pack some of our finest teas at source, and sampling show that their quality is retained even after 3-4 years. On the other hand, leave a pack open in a humid kitchen and the flavour is lost within a day. This is why it is so important to keep tea in an airtight caddy in a cool place. We use natural oils to flavour our aromatic blends, and these quickly lose their flavour if left open.

We deliberately produce our loose teas in small batches, keeping stocks short so that they turn over quickly and do not go stale. This will occasionally mean that we are temporarily out of stock if large orders clear us out, but this will usually be rectified within a few days. We check our stock regularly, and remove any lines that we think are past their peak.

You may be surprised to know that the freshest teas that we sell are all in teabag form. This is because we are able to ship all the components vacuum-packed, and then immeditely pack into a protective atmosphere (nitrogen-flushed pouches or small vacuum packs) after blending. If you want to experience the closest thing to drinking tea on a tea garden, look for our Extra Fresh, Kenyan Gold or Just Picked Makomboki products in the teabag section.