Know Your Tea: Black, White, Green & Beyond

Tea Types, Explained (Without the Snobbery)

When it comes to tea, the menu can feel overwhelming — black, green, white, herbal, fruit… aren’t they all different plants?

Actually, no.

Here’s the first myth-buster:

🌱 There’s just one tea plant: Camellia sinensis.

Whether you’re sipping a brisk black or a delicate white, it all comes from the same leaves. The difference lies in how those leaves are picked and processed.

Let’s break it down.

 

Black Tea: Bold & Brilliant

What it is:
Fully oxidised leaves. This is what gives black tea its deep colour and robust flavour.

Famous faces:
English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Assam, Darjeeling.

Flavour notes:
Malty, brisk, sometimes floral or fruity — depending on where it’s grown.

Fun fact:
Black tea is the most widely drunk tea in the world, making up around 75% of global tea consumption.

 

Green Tea: Fresh & Vibrant

What it is:
The leaves are heated shortly after picking to stop oxidation — that’s why they stay green.

Famous faces:
Sencha (Japan), Dragon Well (China), Matcha (the finely ground, whisked variety).

Flavour notes:
Grassy, nutty, vegetal — sometimes even a little seaweedy (in a good way).

Fun fact:
Green tea has roughly half the caffeine of black tea, making it a gentler pick-me-up.

 

White Tea: Subtle & Delicate

What it is:
The least processed of all. Young leaves and buds are simply picked and sun-dried.

Famous faces:
Silver Needle, White Peony.

Flavour notes:
Soft, sweet, lightly floral.

Fun fact:
Because it’s so lightly handled, white tea often contains higher antioxidant levels than black or green.

 

Herbal “Tea”: Technically, Not Tea at All

What it is:
Anything brewed from plants that aren’t Camellia sinensis. Think peppermint, chamomile, rooibos.

Flavour notes:
Endless — soothing, floral, spicy, or zingy.

Fun fact:
Naturally caffeine-free, herbal infusions are perfect for evening sipping.

 

Fruit Infusions: Tea’s Juicy Cousins

What it is:
Dried fruits, peels, and petals blended together. No actual tea leaves required.

Flavour notes:
Sweet, tart, refreshing — often with hibiscus for that deep ruby colour.

Fun fact:
They’re brilliant iced. Brew strong, chill, add ice — instant summer cooler.

 

Tea Nerd Corner: Oxidation 101

Think of oxidation as the tea world’s version of a browning apple.

Cut an apple and it darkens. Let tea leaves sit, and the same thing happens.

• White tea → barely oxidised

• Green tea → oxidation stopped early

• Black tea → fully oxidised

One plant. One process. Endless outcomes.

 

Brew & Bloom’s Takeaway

• All real tea comes from one plant

• Black, green, and white teas differ by oxidation, not origin

• Herbal and fruit blends aren’t technically tea — but they’re still worth your mug

The joy is in experimenting. Don’t marry one type. Date the whole tea spectrum.