Loose Leaf Tea  There are 49 products.

White tea production and health benefits

The production of white tea is a unique and fascinating process. To make premium white teas the tea producers use only the buds and the young leaf shoots of the tea plant Camellia sinensis. The most famous gourmet loose leaf white teas are Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yin Zhen) which consists entirely of tea buds, and White Peony (Bai Mu Dan), which is made from one bud and the next one or two young tea leaves on the stem.

Being the most delicate, white teas are also the least processed of all the teas. The tea makers do not apply any heat to stop the oxidation, but let the tea leaves dry naturally. Nor do they roll the leaves and buds, so the tea leaves maintain their natural shape once they have been dried and are therefore very gentle and fragile. This is why the health benefits of white tea are similar to those of the fresh tea leaves as they grow on the bush. This means that white tea’s popularity has been growing exponentially among tea lovers all around the globe.

The latest research data indicates that the level of antioxidants in white teas can be even higher than in green teas, which means that white teas offer a wide range of health benefits. Light and exquisite, they are a perfect option for those who wish to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but do not particularly enjoy the fresh grassy notes of green teas.

Purchase our finest loose leaf white tea on-line

All our white teas are carefully packed into sealed bags to preserve freshness, quality, and therefore the health benefits of our loose teas. You can order a white tea sample of 5g or chose between packets of 25g, 50g, 100g or 250 g. The higher the quantity, the bigger the discount you will receive for your loose leaf tea purchase. This is because the packaging cost is very high, so the larger the quantity of tea you buy, the more money you will save on packaging.

Green tea production and health benefits

Best quality green teas are known for their fresh, lively and gentle character, like the scent of a spring breeze. They stand out for their bright, sometimes nutty and slightly grassy notes that totally set them apart from other tea types. As you probably know, different types of tea have different oxidation level and this is what determines the category that each tea belongs to.

Once the tea leaf has been picked from the bush, it will slowly start to wilt and naturally oxidize. Green tea is the only tea type in which the oxidation process is deliberately stopped at an early stage. To prevent the tea enzymes from oxidizing, the tea maker de-activate them by applying heat (a “kill-green” process). In China this is generally carried out by panning in a wok or a panning machine.

Green tea is therefore considered to be the only non-oxidized type of tea. In other words, it is not oxidized at all (although there is a very light natural oxidation which happens after the tea has been picked from the plant and until the panning process takes place). The tea leaf will then preserve its natural green colour and the vegetal flavour together with any roasted notes added during the panning process.

This procedure also results in green tea’s beneficial properties. During the “kill-green” stage, the leaves retain all their beneficial natural ingredients, including antioxidants and amino acids such as L-theanine. L-theanine is a very rare and valuable substance that can counteract and slow down the effect of caffeine and contribute to the increase of alpha brain waves responsible for relaxation and stress reduction. If you would like to learn more about the health benefits of green tea, here are the 10 reasons why you should drink green tea.

Purchase our finest loose leaf green tea on-line

All our green teas are carefully packed into sealed bags to preserve freshness, quality, and therefore the health benefits of our loose teas. You can order a green tea sample of 5g or chose between packets of 25g, 50g, 100g or 250 g. The higher the quantity, the bigger the discount you will receive for your loose leaf tea purchase. This is because the packaging cost is very high, so the larger the quantity of tea you buy, the more money you will save on packaging.

Yellow tea production and health benefits

Besides, the knowledge and techniques for producing this little-known type of tea were slowly being lost over the years, so it is not very easy to find a high quality yellow tea as there are only a few skilled producers who make it and keep the manufacturing process a secret.

As we mentioned earlier, yellow tea is a less well-known cousin of green tea. It is made in the same way as green tea with the difference that the tea leaves are panned at a lower temperature and are then wrapped or heaped. During this wrapping or heaping stage, the tea starts to ferment slightly, but not as much as during the production of sheng cha (raw pu-erh tea). It is a much lighter fermentation during which the tea leaves become a yellowish colour and lose the bright grassy flavour of green teas. The taste of yellow tea is much mellower than green tea and less aggressive on the stomach.

Purchase our finest loose leaf yellow tea on-line

All our yellow teas are carefully packed into sealed bags to preserve freshness, quality, and therefore the health benefits of our loose teas. You can order a yellow tea sample of 5g or chose between packets of 25g, 50g, 100g or 250 g. The higher the quantity, the bigger the discount you will receive for your loose leaf tea purchase. This is because the packaging cost is very high, so the larger the quantity of tea you buy, the more money you will save on packaging.

Black tea production and health benefits

The oxidation process is a key stage in the production of black tea. It allows the polyphenols to oxidize with the help of enzymes, thus developing the characteristic notes of fruit, spices, chocolate, etc. depending on the growing area, plucking standards or processing methods. Finest gourmet black teas are always hand-picked and consist of a bud with a single tender leaf or two young leaves.

Just after the tea leaves have been harvested, they are spread out in shady sunlight or indoors to allow some of the water to evaporate from the leaves (this process is called “withering”). The tea leaves are then rolled to cause the enzymes in the tea leaf to react with oxygen and thus initiate the oxidation process. This enzymatic oxidation will continue until the tea leaves develop the characteristic color and intensity of a black tea. Whereas the tea leaves will turn dark brown, the buds (tips) of the tea plant may remain white or become golden, depending on the varietal or cultivar of the plant.

The complete oxidation of black tea is responsible for a number of unique chemical changes which, according to recent studies, have been proven to provide a variety of health benefits, including cholesterol absorption and prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Purchase our finest loose leaf black tea on-line

All our black teas are carefully packed into sealed bags to preserve freshness, quality, and therefore the health benefits of our loose teas. You can order a black tea sample of 5g or chose between packets of 25g, 50g, 100g or 250 g. The higher the quantity, the bigger the discount you will receive for your loose leaf tea purchase. This is because the packaging cost is very high, so the larger the quantity of tea you buy, the more money you will save on packaging.

If you have already tried some oolongs, but were not convinced, think first about the particular notes that you would prefer (for example those you prefer in green teas, black teas or even in coffee!).

Discover the amazing range of flavour profile in loose leaf oolong teas

The flavour of oolong teas can be nutty, toasty, milky, floral, woody, sweet, chocolaty, etc., depending on the tea plant varietal or cultivar and on the processing of the leaf. Absolutely stunning, isn't it? Set between green tea (non-oxidized) and black tea (fully oxidized), oolong teas embrace the remaining area from lightly oxidized to heavily oxidized teas. Their level of oxidation can vary between approximately 8 and 80 percent and so oolong teas are called partially-oxidised teas. They can reveal properties of either green tea or black tea, depending on the level of oxidation in the leaves.

The production of oolong tea

For the production of some oolong teas, the tea makers use more mature leaves, picked when the tea buds have fully opened (during late spring). Unlike other types of tea, oolong tea leaves are intentionally bruised and/ or shaken during the manufacturing process in order to slightly oxidize some parts of the leaf while leaving other parts unbroken and not oxidized. As a result, the tea leaves release essential oils and start developing very fragrant natural aromas. The leaves are then panned to stop the oxidation and rolled to develop flavour.

The greener oolong teas are usually rolled into ball-shaped nuggets, whereas more heavily oxidized oolongs are rolled as slightly twisted open leaves. After rolling, the teas are dried and the darker, open-leafed oolongs are roasted over charcoal to give the teas a rich, toasty character with layers of complex flavours.

Purchase our finest loose leaf oolong tea on-line

All our loose leaf oolong tea teas are carefully packed into sealed bags to preserve freshness, quality, and therefore the health benefits of our loose teas. You can order an oolong tea sample of 5g or chose between packets of 25g, 50g, 100g or 250 g. The higher the quantity, the bigger the discount you will receive for your loose leaf tea purchase. This is because the packaging cost is very high, so the larger the quantity of tea you buy, the more money you will save on packaging.

Different production techniques of Pu-erh tea: Raw and Ripe Pu-erh

What makes Pu-erh tea so different from the rest of the tea categories? Just like fine wines, Pu-erh teas can develop exquisite flavours over time, thanks to their unique processing method. Unlike other types of tea, Pu-erh teas are not meant to oxidize by making the juices within the tea leaves react with oxygen, but to ferment slowly with the help of microbes and bacteria that are found naturally in the tea. Pu-erh teas are also called “post-fermented teas” as the process of slow fermentation is intended to continue after the tea has left the factory.

The initial traditional process of Pu-erh tea manufacture is very similar to that of the manufacture of green tea, but after a short panning and rolling, the tea leaves are spread in the sunshine to dry. This tea is called “maocha” (rough tea) and is the base tea for making all Pu-erhs. The maocha is then steamed and compressed into what is known as Sheng Pu-erh (Raw Pu-erh). This is usually flat and round in cake form, and is called a Pu-erh tea cake. “Sheng” mean “raw” as this tea will still have some brisk, grassy, and slightly bitter notes of a green tea, but these will mellow over time, bringing more fruitiness and sweetness to the flavour profile of the Sheng Pu-erh tea.

Many tea drinkers prefer young fresh Pu-erh tea cakes to the aged ones, and the taste that different drinkers like is very much a matter of personal preferences. The most interesting aspect of Pu-erh tea drinking is that it can be stored on your bookshelf and you will see how the flavour changes naturally every year or every six months, and how the new tasting notes replace or add to the old ones, making the drinking of Pu-erh a unique tasting experience.

For those who do not want to wait for so many years until their Pu-erh tea matures naturally, a new method of manufacturing Pu-erh was developed towards the end of the 20th century. This causes the Pu-erh tea to ferment much more quickly so that, in just a couple of months, it reaches a level of fermentation that traditional raw Pu-erh will only reach in 10 to 20 years. Although it cannot and does not reproduce exactly the same flavours as in the Sheng Pu-erh, it is still a very sought-after type of Pu-erh tea that can boast a more accessible price range. This type of Pu-erh is called Shu Pu-erh. “Shu” means “ripe” or “cooked” and it is well-known for its earthy and woody flavours. The production of Shu Pu-erh differs radically from that of a Sheng Pu-erh and consists in a wet-piling method - the rough loose leaf base tea (maocha) is piled, sprayed with water and covered with cloth or plastic (a little like a compost heap) to ferment in hot and humid conditions within the premises of a tea factory.

Although several Chinese provinces are famous for their high quality teas, all Pu-erh teas are produced in the same southern province of China – Yunnan. Historically this is where tea originated thousands of years ago, and the first tea trees (Camellia sinensis var. assamica) were growing wild in the dense Yunnan rainforest until they were discovered by the indigenous tribes. The highest quality Yunnan tea is still produced from the wild tea trees that grow naturally in the forests of the Yunnan Mountains. Since the Yunnan big leaf tea variety, Camellia sinensis var. assamica, is native to the region, it was always used to make Pu-erh tea and is still used today for pu-erh tea production. Pu-erh tea has become the most famous tea category amongst tea connoisseurs due to its cultural significance and local traditional roots that lead to the Ancient China.

Purchase the best compressed and loose leaf Pu-erh tea in our on-line store

All our Pu-erh teas are carefully packed into sealed bags to preserve freshness, quality, and therefore the health benefits of our loose teas. You can order a Pu-erh tea sample of 5g or chose between packets of 25g, 50g, 100g or 250 g. The higher the quantity, the bigger the discount you will receive for your loose leaf tea purchase. This is because the packaging cost is very high, so the larger the quantity of tea you buy, the more money you will save on packaging.