Let's start our journey into the tea world by understanding the basics of tea (all products of the Camelia sinensis plant) and herbal teas called Tisanes.
Types of Tea
There are two variants of the Camelia sinensis plant :
Camelia sin. var Sinensis - originating from China, grown in China
Camelia sin. var Assamica - originating from China, grown in India
Tea grows best in cool climates and requires a lot of rainwater to be sustained. Tea plants prefer acidic soil and can be cultivated in different altitudes.
Tea is mainly produced in China, India, Sri Lanka and Kenya.
There are 5 types of tea, according to their processing after harvest :
Black Tea
Withering - Rolling - Fully oxidiation - Drying
Green Tea
Steaming/Roasting - Rolling - Drying
White Tea
Withering - Drying
Oolong Tea
Withering - Rolling - Short oxidation - Drying
Pu' er Tea
Maocha (stopping oxidation) - Rolling - Sun Drying - Fermentation
green/raw
dark/ripe - Piling - Drying
Both can be shaped into cakes or bricks and aged with time.
Tea is packaged in three forms
Loose Tea leaves
Powdered Tea (Matcha)
Tea bricks/cakes
Tisanes are caffeine-free and can be served hot or cold. Herbal teas have a long history, dating back to ancient China and Egypt, where tisanes were drunk for both enjoyment and medicinal purposes.
Types of Tisanes
Tisanes are usually categorized by what part of the plant they come from. Here are some examples of each of the major categories of tisanes:
Leaf tisanes: lemon balm, mint, lemongrass, and French verbena
Flower tisanes: rose, chamomile, hibiscus, and lavender
Bark tisanes: cinnamon, slippery elm, and black cherry bark
Root tisanes: ginger, echinacea, and valerian root
Fruit/berry tisane: raspberry, blueberry, peach, and apple
Seed/spice tisanes: cardamom, caraway, and fennel
Sometimes, tisanes are made from a blend of plant types or from multiple parts of the same plant. Occasionally, tisanes are made from moss, stems, or other plant matter.
Tisanes may also be classified as medicinal. While many tisanes are high in antioxidants and nutrients, some have long histories of medicinal use, others are typically consumed for simple enjoyment and can be paired with a "carrier" tea, e.g Green Tea with lemon and ginger.