In the western culture the people like wines similarly in the Chinese culture people like teas. According to theoretical evidences all kinds of teas are actually made from identical plant i.e. camellia sinensis. The growth of the plant is noticed in several areas which grows various kinds of tea. As the ways of processing is different and so there are different shapes of leaves, different fragrance and so different flavor which catch the attention of tea lovers.
If you visit China then you will come to know about number of tea names. They sort out tea into six groups by ascending order of fermentation.
White tea is slightly fermented and it is picked and air-dried only. The “big-white-tea” is really the main basis to make the highest quality white tea and it is harvested early in the spring. The flavors of these delicate teas are sweet, savory and mellow. In Hong Kong as well as the Southern parts of the Chinese mainland this tea is conventionally famous. This tea is now a focus for many studies as it is considered to have high levels of antioxidants.
Yellow tea which is genuinely viewed as a green tea is a result of specialized but lengthy drying process. This tea is admired by people for its aroma, taste and color which is slight yellowish.This tea is quite unusual these days but there was a time when it was very common among general people.
As green tea contains high level of antioxidants so it is considered quite healthy choice these days. In case of green tea the fresh leaves are selected and heated quickly in order to prevent any further fermentation. It offers refreshing variety of flavors which range from grassing and vegetal to nutty and floral ones. In order to enjoy the green and white tea the best it is better to make it with decreased temperature water.
When oolong tea is picked then it skillfully rolled and oxidized so that the essential ingredients of the tea can react with the air. Due to this process the color of the leaves develops to dark green and it also generates distinctive smell after which heat is put on to set the flavor or taste. The color of the result tea may either be green or red. One can without difficulty recognize the oolong tea by its flavor that ranges from highly floral, especially fruity to a little roasted with honey nuances. Praparation of tea is an art and it requires patience and care. Tea lovers even take it to the grade of art and call it kung-fu tea.
If you desire to have black tea you will notice that the leaves are totally oxidized. China is the natural country of black tea but when British raised it in India, Sri Lanka and Africa then it achieved lot of recognition worldwide. The black tea has a strong aroma of cocoa, fruity, honey or the flavor of brown sugar.
Let’s mention the post-fermented tea which is generally known as pu-er. It is generally solidified into cakes or slab shapes. The name given to this tea hails from a South-western town in China referred to as Pu-er. Pu-er has a exclusive green or earthy taste that receives mellow taste. Some pu-er teas are more than 50 years old and are quite precious to the collectors. Pu-er is taken for the last several centuries by Chinese and said to have a propensity to lower the level of cholesterol, effective for digestion as well as it alleviate hangovers.
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