What are the Different Types of Tea and How Are They Made?

A good cup of tea is one of life’s great simple pleasures. But when you consider the variety of tea types, it’s hardly a simple thing at all. Let’s break down the different kinds of teas, how they’re made, and the effect each process has on the final cup.

What is Traditional Tea?

Fundamentally, there are two major categories: traditional tea, which is an infusion of leaves from the Camellia sinensis shrub, and herbal tea (or tisanes), which can be made from a wide variety of other herbs, botanicals, or spices.

Black Tea

One of the most consumed beverages in the world is black tea.

In fact, tea is the world's most popular beverage after water. In the United States, over 80% of the tea that’s consumed is black tea (and around 75% is iced). We’re talking billions of gallons (which is making us thirsty just thinking about it). And while many think of black tea as one type of tea, there are actually different types of black tea—each type of black tea has different characteristics and comes from different origins around the globe:


Types of Black Tea

• Assam, from the Indian state of the same name, is robust and malty.
• Darjeeling, also from India, is lighter-bodied, with a distinctive muscat wine note.
• Yunnan, from China, is richer, sweeter, and spicier.

Each is delicious on its own, but they can also be combined to create unique, dimensional blends like our much-loved Mighty Leaf Organic Breakfast Tea, a mix of Assam and Nilgiri black teas from India with high-grown Rwandan.

Other notable black teas include Lapsang Souchong, which gets its potent, characteristic smokiness from being dried in bamboo structures above smoking pine fires. The addition of organic bergamot oil gives Earl Grey its sophisticated aroma and citric notes. And then there’s the classic Masala Chai, which combines black tea with a blend of spices for a rich, warming brew inspired by the street vendors of India.

How is Black Tea Made

Black tea is the result of specific processes the tea leaves undergo. First, the tea leaves are wilted, a process in which they are left to partially dry and become soft and pliable. The leaves are then typically rolled or crushed to further break down the cell membranes, liberating the juices and aromatic compounds. From there, the leaves are naturally oxidized in a temperature and humidity-controlled environment. The longer the oxidation, the darker the leaves become. Finally, the leaves are fully dried to stop the oxidation process. Once dried, black tea can keep for years.

These processes contribute to giving black tea its eye-openingly brisk character, with fuller body and flavor and the highest concentration of caffeine, making it an excellent breakfast companion.

Green Tea

From sencha to matcha, green tea types come in many forms and from different origins. One thing we know: it’s gaining popularity in the U.S.  According to the Tea Association of the U.S.A., 15% of the billions of gallons of tea enjoyed in the United States in ’21 was green tea, with a year-over-year increase of 6%. (Do we have matcha lattes to thank for that? Maybe!)

Types of Green Tea

China has a rich history in the production of green teas, with Longjing Dragonwell as one of its most popular pan-roasted green teas, known for buttery, nutty notes. Chinese green tea is also the base for the popular Jasmine Tea, which is fragranced by jasmine flowers that release their delicate aroma to perfume the finished tea.

Green tea is by far the most popular tea in Japan, and accounts for nearly all commercial tea production in the country. The most common variety, Sencha, has characteristic aromas of freshly cut grass and sea air. It is also popularly combined with roasted rice to make Genmai Cha, which has an almost popcorn-like aroma.

Green tea’s herbaceous notes make it a natural pairing for mint, as in Mighty Leaf's Marrakesh Mint, and also plays nicely with fruit in our popular Green Tea Tropical.

How is Green Tea Made?

Green tea also starts with leaves from the Camellia sinensis shrub, however it diverges from black tea almost immediately after that, because with green tea, the tea leaves are immediately steamed or pan-roasted and dried to prevent oxidation. This helps preserve their bright green color and contributes to the fresher, grassier flavor that characterizes most green teas. Various rolling and drying techniques account for much of the different appearances and aromas that result. This processing also means that green tea ultimately has about half as much caffeine as black tea does.

 

Matcha Tea

Matcha has a creamy mouthfeel. The airy texture generated by Matcha preparation brings out the tea’s signature vegetal and marine flavors. While long used in everything from noodles to confections in Japan, Matcha has become popular globally in recent years, and it’s infused into everything from lattes to smoothies to salad dressings. As a powdered tea, it is considered one of the most caffeinated options since you consume the entire leaf when drinking or eating it.

We like to elevate its natural creaminess with frothed milk in our delicious Matcha Latte.

How is Matcha Made?

Very fine grade green tea leaves are dried and finely ground to a powder, then stirred in hot water with a bamboo whisk until frothy. The resulting drink, Matcha, is traditionally offered as a way to show hospitality to guests and is often accompanied by a ritualistic ceremony.

 

Oolong Tea

Oolong teas lie on the spectrum between green and black in terms of color, flavor, and caffeine content. And while tea in general is one of the most popular beverages in America, Oolong has yet to find its moment in the sun the same way green tea has in recent years. One reason for this is the nature of the tea itself—there are many styles of oolong, and each comes with its own brewing recommendation. There can be an art and ritual to brewing oolong which isn’t quite as convenient and easy as popping a tea bag in a mug of water. But oolong aficionados can tell you: it’s worth it. The range in style and flavor are wide, and hearing oolong fans describe its complexity, body, and range can sound almost like someone describing fine wine.

How is Oolong Tea Made?

Oolong tea leaves are wilted and oxidized like black tea, but not fully. Depending on when the oxidation is halted with roasting, Oolong may retain more fresh, vegetal flavors, or become sweet and honeyed, or deep and roasted. Mighty Leaf's Ti Kuan Yin is roasted at a perfect inflection point, presenting delicate fruit flavor and a heady, floral aroma, with hints of orchid, herbs, nuts, melon, and basil.

Pu'er Tea

Pu’er is a specialized ‘dark’ tea from the Yunnan province in China. It can be prepared gongfu style, using a small teapot and preparing multiple infusions from the same leaves. It is best enjoyed if it's rinsed with boiling water prior to steeping. Sometimes called the coffee-lover’s tea, Pu’er has rich notes of leather, chocolate, and espresso, and has more or less the equivalent amount of caffeine as black tea. Pu'er leaves can be infused multiple times without losing flavor or strength.

How is Pu'er Tea Made?

After drying, tea leaves are kept in a warm, humid environment that encourages bacterial fermentation, deepening the color and flavor of the tea. The tea is then packed into cakes called tuo cha, or "bowl tea.” This tea can be aged and enjoyed for many years; in fact, the taste often improves with age.

White Tea

The name “White Tea” refers to the fine white hairs that remain intact on the tea leaves due to the freshness and minimal processing this form of tea undergoes. This minimal processing results in an elegant, light beverage. While there are a lot of health claims and benefits associated with white tea, it’s not found as frequently in American kitchens as its more robust counterparts—green and black tea. One theory is that for American palates that like notable, strong flavors, white tea might not pack enough of a flavor ‘punch.’ Nonetheless, it’s gaining a bit of traction in the U.S. as more people are learning to explore the world of tea.

How is White Tea Made?

Like green tea, white tea does not undergo oxidation. However, the leaves and buds are allowed to wilt prior to drying without any of the rolling process. The result is a lighter, more delicate tea with sweet, fruity aromas, and about the same caffeine as green tea.

What is Herbal Tea?

Simply put, herbal teas, or tisanes, are infusions of anything other than Camellia sinensis tea leaves. Nearly all herbal teas are naturally caffeine-free. Some common items in herbal teas include:

• Fruits, such as juicy elderberry, zesty citrus, and tart goji berries.
• Herbs, most famously mint, but also refreshing lemongrass, or earthy thyme and basil.
• Flowers (or Botanicals) like soothing chamomile, tart hibiscus, and mellow chrysanthemum.
• Spices, like warming cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric, or bold licorice root.

Each item can be infused individually, but blending frequently brings out the best of them, like as in our calming Chamomile Citrus, detoxifying Ginger Twist, and refreshing Wild Berry Hibiscus, which combine multiple herbal tea components harmoniously.

Rooibos

A brushy plant with needle-like leaves from South Africa, Rooibos means “red bush” in Afrikaans, and is commonly known as “red bush” throughout the United Kingdom.

How is Rooibos Made?

Though it is an herbal tea, the leaves from Rooibos plants are processed much like actual tea, undergoing an oxidation process that deepens the color and flavor of the leaves. The end result is an infusion that’s not dissimilar to black tea, if somewhat earthier with honeyed notes—and no caffeine. We like to highlight it alongside tropical fruit and blossoms in our bestselling Organic African Nectar blend.