Tea - Research

Different types of tea:

• Black Tea - Black tea is a common tea made from the plant Camellia sinensis. Black tea is fermented more than green, white, and Oolong tea giving it a dark colour. It can be very bitter if the leaves are steeped in the hot water too long. It can be drunk with milk and/or sugar, or with a slice of lemon.
• Oolong Tea - Oolong is a traditional Chinese tea (Camellia sinensis) produced through a unique process including withering under the strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting. Most oolong teas, especially those of fine quality, involve unique tea plant cultivars that are exclusively used for particular varieties. The degree of fermentation can range from 8% to 85%, depending on the variety and production style. 
• Green Tea - Green tea has several health benefits, partly because of the fluoride element in the tea leaves. Green tea is one of the most widely consumed teas in the entire world. It was initially used as a medicine for thousands of years in China and is now widely used all over Asia. It is made using the leaves of Chinese Camellia sinensis plant that are quickly heated after picking either by steaming or by dry cooking to minimize oxidation.
• White Tea - White tea comes from the buds and leaves of the Chinese Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves and buds are allowed to wither in natural sunlight before they are lightly processed to prevent oxidation or further tea processing.
• Pu-erh Tea - Pu-erh is a variety of fermented dark tea produced in Yunnan province, China. Fermentation is a tea production style in which the tea leaves undergo microbial fermentation and oxidation after they are dried and rolled. This process is a Chinese specialty and produces tea known as Hei Cha, commonly translated as dark, or black tea (this type of tea is completely different from what in West is known as "black tea", which in China is called "red tea")
• Chai Tea 'Spiced tea.' -  A tea from the Indian subcontinent to which herbs and spices have been added.
• Earl Grey Tea - Earl Grey tea is one of the most well known flavoured teas: using oil of bergamot oranges.
• English Breakfast Tea - English breakfast tea is a traditional blend of teas originating from Assam, Ceylon and Kenya. It is one of the most popular blended teas and the most common form of tea in British tea culture. English breakfast tea is a black tea blend usually described as full-bodied, robust, and/or rich, and blended to go well with milk and sugar. The black teas included in the blend vary, with Assam, Ceylon and Kenyan teas predominating, and Keemun sometimes included in more expensive blends. Common brands of English breakfast tea include Twinings, Dilmah, Taylors of Harrogate, Ahmad Tea, Qualitea, Darvilles of Windsor and supermarket brands.
• Jasmine Tea - Black or green tea infused with the scent of jasmine flowers, either as loose tea or, during processing, rolled up into small balls known as 'pearls'. The process of infusion can be repeated a number of times to intensify the taste.
• Russian Caravan Tea - Russian Caravan is a blend of oolong, keemun, and lapsang souchong teas, all produced from Camellia sinensis the Chinese tea plant. It is described as an aromatic and full-bodied tea with a sweet, malty taste. Although a Chinese tea, its name originates from the 18th century camel caravans that facilitated the transcontinental tea trade from tea-producing areas (namely India, Ceylon and China) to Europe via Russia. It took at least half a year to make the    6,000 mile journey from the Chinese border to Russia, and the voyage was harsh. Some varieties do not include lapsang souchong, thus having a less smoky flavor.
• Herbal Tea - A variety of plants are prepared and drunk in the same way as tea proper, either singly or in combination. They are sometimes called Tisanes. Some examples of flavours include; cranberry, lavender, peppermint, cinnamon, ginger and rose petals.