By: S.C. Ali
Founder/Author
Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world. I have been drinking black tea from tea bags for as long as I can remember. I’ve always strove to have the best of everything, so when it came to tea drinking, it was prudent that I embarked on a journey of loose-leaf tea. Why? Well, the best way to compare loose-leaf tea to bag tea is a like a pack of chips. When you open the pack, there are whole chips on top. After you finish eating the whole chips, there are small broken chips at the very bottom. Think of the whole chips as loose leaf, and the tiny chips/powder as bagged tea.
Before I delve into the actual teas themselves, it is important to know a little background information. In addition, because we discuss methods of having a healthy and balanced lifestyle, it is imperative that we discuss some health benefits. Tea is an aromatic beverage that stems from the Camellia Sinensis plant that originated in China. There are four major types of teas: white, green, oolong, and black. They differ depending on what part of the plant is used, and by the degree of oxidation. White tea comes from the buds and leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant. The leaves and buds are allowed to whither in the natural sunlight, followed by a slight processing so that no further oxidation takes place. Green tea, which is the most commonly consumed type of tea in Asia, is made from leaves that have gone through a minimal oxidation. Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea produced through a unique process including withering under the strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting. It is oxidized more than green tea, but not as much as black tea. Finally, black tea, which is the most consumed type of tea in the West, undergoes full oxidation. Herbal tea is tea that is not made with the Camellia Sinensis plant, and therefore is not included in this review.
There may be some health benefits in tea, (especially green tea) but they have not been fully verified. In one study, Ahn et al. used a green tea extract in order to help treat cervical warts due to human papillomavirus (HPV). There are many studies and claims that green tea can be helpful in reducing the risk in breast and prostate cancer, but the FDA has concluded that, “there is very little scientific evidence of this claim.” Some studies have tried to find a correlation between green tea and weight management. Despite many clinical trials, the data is inconsistent. Next, a study by Kuriyama et al. published in the Journal of the American Medicine Association (JAMA) has shown an inverse relationship between green tea consumption and risk for cardiovascular disease. This study looks at more than 40,000 Japanese adults, and women were shown to have a more inverse relationship than men. In essence, the full effects of green tea consumption are still unclear. Moreover, the vast majority of studies that link health benefits with green tea consumption are in Asia, where the practice is commonplace. There could be other lifestyle habits that the researchers are not considering. The general inconsistency of data shows that these claims need to undergo further scientific inquiry and investigation.
Now that the health related part has been explained, let’s go back to the culinary aspect of tea. Before I delve into my thoughts on the teas from an aromatic/flavor perspective, here is a little background history about my entry into the world of loose leaf tea.
My tea adventure came by the recommendation of my Analytical Chemistry professor, who recommended a website called www.uptontea.com. There are over 400 different blends and varieties of tea available. I love the site because you can order little sample packets, most of the time under $2. This is very advantageous. I didn’t have to worry about going to a local loose-leaf vendor and buy a whole bunch of tea only to not like it and throw out the rest.
Because I tend to be a traditionalist, I felt it was necessary to taste pure, non-blended tea with no sugar and no milk. Also, each type of tea is on the premium to elite scale in terms of quality. Finally, the teas themselves:
1. White: For my white tea tasting, I used a pure Pai Mu Tan. Silver Needle Tea is seen as the highest grade of white tea, but pai mu tan is a tad under Silver Needle in terms of quality. Therefore, the Pai Mu Tan is still an excellent choice. The brew was a very pale golden color. It had a floral aroma, and an extremely subtle taste. Do not put any sugar or milk when tasting this tea, because you will ruin the flavor immediately. Although it was not my favorite, it was a great first tea of the set I ordered. I would recommend consuming this tea in the morning, because its lightness will make you feel awake and refreshed. If your palette is more on the subtle side, you will enjoy this tea.
2. Green: Japanese Sencha was my green tea of choice. The highest grade is Gyokoru, but it is very expensive so I opted for Japanese Sencha instead at first. It is still viewed as a high-grade green tea. The brew was a yellowish color. The flavor and scent had much more of an earthy tone compared to the white tea. It did have a signature grassy taste, which was interesting and more potent than green teas I’ve had in the past. I enjoyed it a lot, and would recommend drinking this also in the morning because it is a fantastic wake up call. Personally, I prefer it to the white tea. A few months later, I bought the Gyokoru. The taste was similar, but I found the gyokoru to be lighter and crisper. This could be due to the natural shading involved in producing Gyokoru, as the leaves are never exposed to the sun directly.
3. Oolong: I ordered a Tie-Guan-Yin roasted oolong tea. It is medium brown in color. This tea was processed in the traditional oolong style, but finished off with a curing. In the curing process, tea makers put the leaves in bamboo baskets over a slow charcoal fire. Thus, the flavor was smoother and richer in character compared to the typical oolong. The aroma was a smoky, robust, and inviting. The taste was excellent, more robust than the green tea, and had a slightly charred aftertaste. I would recommend this tea for afternoon tea or dinner.
4. Black: Because I’ve had many different types of black tea, I had to pick the best of the best, Darjeeling tea. It is also known as the “champagne of teas”. The flavor was very robust in nature, and had a strong astringency. Astringency, for those who don’t know, is what causes that puckering feel from the tannins after drinking tea. The scent was floral and exquisite. Personally, I’d recommend drinking this tea any time of day. If you want a bold start to your day, it would suit well in the morning. If you desire to finish off your day with a bang, then the Darjeeling would also be excellent.
After sampling many cups of each type of tea, it took some time to decide on a winner. Before I disclose it, please bear in mind that everyone’s taste palette is different, and you may prefer a different type of tea compared to my choice. Black tea was the tea of my choice before this little adventure because that’s what I grew up with. In addition, my palette favors more bold flavors in both cuisine and beverages overall. Therefore, it seemed only natural that the winner here for me is the Darjeeling, with the Roasted Oolong as a close second.
Now that I’ve tried the teas unfiltered with no blends, I will definitely try a few blends and see what I enjoy. I encourage you all to try some for yourself. However, depending on what type of tea you are brewing determines the steeping time and temperature. Perhaps I shall dedicate an article to that topic in the near future.
Cheers!
Bronze Lifestyle 