OFF Tea Drunk Promo Codes ➡️ ( Tea Drunk Coupon Codes) June 2023 USA

What is Tea?

Although many different flowers and herbs can be dried, steeped in hot water and called 'tea,' actual tea leaves come from the plant camellia sinensis. In the same way that you can buy a product called plum 'wine,' it is widely understood that true wine is made from grapes. Similarly, what we call chamomile 'tea' is actually an herbal tisane, not actual tea. Popular scented varieties of tea, such as jasmine green tea or Earl Grey, are to authentic tea what sangria is to wine. Just as you would not use a fine wine to make sangria, you would not take fine tea and blend it with other flavors.

The Six Categories of Tea

Countless varietals of grapes give us a variety of wines; similarly, there are many varietals of the tea plant. However, tea is generally categorized based on how it is processed.

There are six main categories of tea: Green, Yellow, White, Wu Long (sometime also spelled Oolong), Red (known in the West as Black) and actual Black.

When the Europeans first encountered what Chinese consider red tea, they called it 'black' in order to distinguish the more fermented tea from less-fermented green teas, not knowing true black tea is its own category.

Location, Varietal, Craft

Tea is a compound- and enzyme-rich plant that is very biochemically complex and sensitive to its environment. Over the course of history, humans discovered that through manipulation of heat, moisture, and physical disturbance of the tea leaves, this one plant can yield almost endless variations in taste and aroma.

Theoretically, we can take any varietal of tea and process it into any of the six categories of tea. However, there are historical and geographical reasons that dictate an authentic tea's location, varietal, and craft. These three qualities are the pillars of understanding tea, as well as determining factors in appraising a tea's value because all the nuances should be reflected in the taste.

The 1500-year old Chinese tea culture, from cultivation to processing to brewing, is about understanding and reaching the potential this complex plant offers. The exploration of nature and humanity through tea is a pinnacle of human accomplishment, much like the fine arts.

Historically Famous + Historic Teas

HISTORICALLY FAMOUS TEAS

Many of China's green teas and yellow teas fall in this category. These are teas that have rigorous standards and specifications set around terroir, varietal and craft, not by connoisseurs of this generation, but generations before us. These teas are the legacy from a time where finer things in life are appreciated and demanded. Each of these historically famous teas represent the pinnacle of a tea style that have many tawdry replicas nowadays. An authentic cup of historically famous tea is a timeless treat.

HISTORIC TEAS

Many of China's black teas fall in this category, as well as the popular Pu Er teas nowadays. Long story short, these are the mass produced teas in the past, primarily for exportation and trades. They were not deemed sophisticated enough for the domestic market back in the days. However, time now grants these teas merits such as very old tea trees, interesting history and traditions. These teas have larger geographic size for its authentic terroir, absence of requirements of varietals and much rougher processing methods. We are the generation that will refine and standardize specifications for these teas.