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Black tea (also literally translated as red tea from various languages) is a type of tea that is more tea processing than oolong, yellow tea, white tea, and green tea teas. Black tea is generally stronger in flavour than other teas. All five types are made from leaves of the shrub (or small tree) Camellia sinensis, though Camellia taliensis is also rarely used.Liu et al. (2012)
Two principal varieties of the species are used – the small-leaved Chinese variety plant ( C. sinensis var. sinensis), used for most other types of teas, and the large-leaved Assamese plant ( C. sinensis var. assamica), which was traditionally mainly used for black tea, although in recent years some green and white teas have been produced.
First originating in China, the beverage's name there is hong cha (, "red tea") due to the colour of the oxidized leaves when processed appropriately. Today, the drink is widespread throughout East Asia and Southeast Asia, both in consumption and harvesting, including in China, Japan, Korea, and Singapore. Similar variants are also available in countries.
While green tea usually loses its flavour within a year, black tea retains its flavour for several years. For this reason, it has long been an article of trade, and Tea brick even served as a form of de facto currency in Mongolia, Tibet, and Siberia well into the 19th century. Black tea contains caffeine and and may offer modest cardiovascular benefits and improved alertness, but lacks strong evidence for most therapeutic uses, including cancer and diabetes prevention.
| China | Congou (Fujian) | |||
| Tǎnyáng-gōngfu (坦洋工夫) | Tanyang Village, Fu'an, Fujian | The king of the Fujian Artisan Black Teas. One of the three Famous Fujian Reds. | ||
| Zhènghé-gōngfu (政和工夫) | Zhenghe County, Fujian | One of the three Famous Fujian Reds, with a slight honey flavour. | ||
| Báilín-gōngfu (白琳工夫) | Bailin Town, Fuding, Fujian | One of the three Famous Fujian Reds. | ||
| Lapsang souchong | Zhèngshān-xiǎozhǒng (正山小中種) | Wuyi Mountains, Fujian | Dried over burning pine, thereby developing a strong smoky flavour | |
| Yínjùnméi (銀駿眉) | A higher grade version of Lapsang souchong (aka. Lapsang Souchong) | |||
| Jīnjùnméi (金駿眉) | One of the highest grade black teas in mainland China. | |||
| Keemun | Qímén-hóngchá (祁門紅茶) | Qimen County, Anhui | One of China's Famous Teas. The aroma of tea is fruity, with hints of pine, dried plum and floweriness. | |
| Dianhong (Yunnan) | Yúnnán-hóngchá (雲南紅茶) / diānhóng (滇紅) | Yunnan | Well known for dark malty teas and golden bud teas. | |
| Yingdehong tea | Yīngdé-hóngchá (英德紅茶) | Yingde, Guangdong | The tea has a cocoa-like aroma and a sweet aftertaste, one can find a peppery note. | |
| Jiu Qu Hong Mei (Nine Winding Red Plum) | Jiǔqǔ-hóngméi (九曲紅梅) | Hangzhou, Zhejiang | This tea is characterised by tight fishhook-like leaves with a lustrous black colour. The infusion is brightly reddish and has a long smooth aftertaste. | |
| Taiwan | Jinxuan (Taicha No. 12) | jīn xuān (金萱) | Chiayi County | Taicha No. 12 exudes a milk and nectar aroma. Its taste transitions from initial bitterness to a sweet glycol aroma. |
| Rudy Black Tea (Taicha No. 18) | Hong Yu HongCha (紅玉紅茶) | Yuchi,Nantou County | The aroma of cinnamon and a hint of mint. | |
| Sun Moon Lake | Rìyuè-tán-hóngchá (日月潭紅茶) | Sun Moon Lake, Nantou City, Nantou County | Honey rich tones, sweet osmanthus, cinnamon and peppermint. | |
| India | Assam tea | (অসম চাহ) | Assam | Full-bodied, strong, and distinctively malty tea from the lowlands of Assam |
| Darjeeling tea | (দার্জিলিং চা) | West Bengal | Thin-bodied, floral, and fruity tea from Darjeeling with defining muscatel tones. Today often processed as a mixture of black, green and oolong elements, though still classed as black. | |
| Kangra tea | (कांगड़ा चाय) | Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh | It produces basil-cinnamon, java plum-blueberry blends and Chinese hybrids that is varied with others as a pale liquor, it has a subtle pungency with a vegetal aroma. | |
| Munnar | (മൂന്നാർ ചായ) | Munnar, Idukki District, Kerala | This variety produces a strong-bodied golden yellow liquor with refreshing briskness and a hint of fruit. It has a medium toned fragrance, that is akin to malted biscuits. | |
| Nilgiri tea | (நீலகிரி தேநீர்) | Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu | Intensely aromatic, strong, and fragrant tea from the Nilgiri Hills of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. | |
| Korea | Jaekseol-cha (Bird's tongue) | (잭설차) | Hadong County, South Gyeongsang Province | Jaekseol tea is golden, light scarlet in colour and has a sweet, clean taste. |
| Nepal | Nepali tea | (नेपाली चिया) | Similar to Darjeeling tea in its appearance, aroma, and fruity taste, with subtle variation | |
| Sri Lanka | Ceylon tea | (සිලෝන් තේ) | It is grown on numerous estates which vary in altitude and taste. High-grown tea is honey golden liquor and light and is considered to be among the best teas in terms of its distinct flavour, aroma, and strength. Low-grown teas are a burgundy brown liquor and stronger. Mid-grown teas are strong, rich, and full-bodied. | |
| Turkey | Rize tea | Rize çayı | Rize, Rize Province, Black Sea Region | Characterised by its strong taste, it is mahogany in colour when brewed. Traditionally served with sugar crystals. |
| Iran | Lahijan | Chaie | Lahijan, Gilan Province, Caspian Sea (south) | Characterised by its strong taste and nice aroma, it is dark red in colour when brewed for ten to fifteen minutes, as is usual. Traditionally served with sugar crystals. |
| Earl Grey tea | Black tea with bergamot orange oil. |
| Lady Grey tea | Black tea with bergamot orange oil, lemon peel, orange peel, and sometimes cornflower petals. Since Lady Grey is a registered trademark of the company Twinings, other brands have used similar names such as Madame Grey, Duchess Grey or Empress Grey. |
| English breakfast tea | A blend usually of Assam, Ceylon, and Kenyan teas, with Keemun sometimes included in more expensive blends. |
| Irish breakfast tea | Blend of several black teas: most often Assam teas and, less often, other types of black tea. |
| Masala chai Indian (South Asian) spiced tea | Combines black tea, spices native to the Indian sub-continent, milk, and a sweetener such as sugar or honey; a beverage from India, possibly consumed for many centuries in the ancient kingdoms of the region before the arrival of the Europeans. Though the possibility of a pre-colonial tea culture still remains disputed, one can argue without any doubt that the post-independence Masala chai has played a significant role in India's modern tea consumption culture, making it the largest tea consumer in the world. Masala chai has been widely recognised and adapted in the West by locals to their liking since its introduction by the British East India company, with changes in ingredients and the method of preparation to better suit western consumers. |
The tea is then ready for packaging.
Smaller broken varieties may be included in tea bags. Fannings are usually small particles of tea left over from the production of larger tea varieties, but are occasionally manufactured specifically for use in bagged teas. Dusts are the finest particles of tea left over from production of the above varieties, and are often used for tea bags with very fast and harsh brews. Fannings and dusts are useful in bagged teas because the greater surface area of the many particles allows for a fast, complete diffusion of the tea into the water. Fannings and dusts usually have a darker colour, lack of sweetness, and stronger flavour when brewed.
Whole-leaf black teas, and black teas to be served with milk or lemon, should be steeped four to five minutes.Upton Tea Imports, The more delicate black teas, such as Darjeeling, should be steeped for three to four minutes. The same holds for broken leaf teas, which have more surface area and need less brewing time than whole leaves. Longer steeping times makes the tea bitter (at this point, it is referred to as being "stewed" in the UK). When the tea has brewed long enough to suit the drinker's taste, it should be strained before it is served.
A cold vessel lowers the steep temperature; to avoid this, the brewing vessel is rinsed with water at a temperature of at least 90 °C (194 °F) before brewing.
The ISO Standard 3103 defines how to brew tea for sensory testing. This standard is not meant to define the proper method for brewing tea intended for general consumption, but rather to document a tea brewing procedure where meaningful sensory comparisons can be made. This mix is thus more than twice as concentrated for normal consumption.
The visible film often formed on black tea consists of oxidized polyphenols and calcium carbonate, and is therefore more pronounced for tea brewed with hard water.
Black teas from Camellia sinensis contain , which are under preliminary research for their potential to affect blood pressure and blood lipids as for cardiovascular disease. Long-term consumption of black tea only slightly lowered Blood pressure (about 1–2mmHg). Black tea consumption may be associated with a reduced risk of stroke, but there is only limited research to evaluate this possibility.
Meta-analyses of observational studies concluded that black tea consumption does not affect the development of in Asian or Caucasian populations, esophageal cancer or prostate cancer in Asian populations, or lung cancer.
Black tea is considered likely effective for improving alertness and possibly effective for certain conditions such as low blood pressure, but evidence does not support its effectiveness for preventing several types of cancer or diabetes; there is currently limited high-quality scientific evidence supporting most specific therapeutic uses of black tea.
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