Most of the world’s green tea is produced in China and Japan. In fact, China is where green tea originated.
Centuries ago,
before other tea processing methods were developed, tea harvesters simply dried
tea leaves in the sun before storing them, and this is how green tea was born.
It gained favour quickly in this part of the world.
Even after black
tea processing began, it didn’t outsell green tea.
Today, green tea is
still a very popular beverage choice. In Asia, green tea is still by far more
commonly consumed than other tea varieties, and most of the green tea we drink
in the Western world is produced in China or Japan.
However, we should
not discount Sri Lanka and India when it comes to green tea. Both countries
produce very good green tea with very distinct flavours. Green teas from Sri
Lanka and India are not as common as Asian green teas, and, in fact, many
people don’t even realize that these countries produce green teas. However, one
taste of Ceylon or Indian green teas and you’ll likely want more.
Sri Lanka
Ceylon teas are
grown in Sri Lanka. Tea is grown in the highlands of Sri Lanka, over an area of
about four thousand square miles. Ceylon green teas have a full body and are
somewhat pungent with a nutty or malty flavour. Ceylon green teas have a very
bright and bold flavour.
The leaves are
darker before brewing and brew a darker liquor, that is richer than most Asian
green teas. Most Ceylon green teas are named using the same system as Chinese
teas, with leaf shapes like gunpowder, etc.
Today, Ceylon is
considered a fairly minor green tea producer. However, as the demand for green
tea grows, it’s likely that more green tea will be produced in Sri Lanka. For
those who are accustomed to Chinese and Japanese green teas, Ceylon tea may be
a surprise because its flavour is so different.
India
India produces two
varieties of green tea, Assam and Darjeeling. Both of these teas have distinct flavours
and qualities and both are gaining popularity.
Assam teas are
grown in the northeast part of India, along the border to Burma. Other than
China, this region of India produces most of the black tea in the world each
year, at more than 1,500,000 pounds per year. Assam green tea is fairly new to
the market, but is gaining market quickly. Assam green tea is typically medium
bodied tea that is very flavourful. Like Assam black teas, Assam greens are
malty and have definite notes of honey flavour.
Typically, an Assam
green tea will brew up with no bitterness whatsoever, making it a good choice
for novice green tea drinkers. Black Assam teas are used more often in blends
than as single teas, but Assam greens are not as often blended.
Darjeeling green
teas are grown at altitudes of 4,000-10,000 feet above sea level, where it is
cool and there is almost always a mist. It is the altitude at which Darjeeling
is grown, the cool mist and the perfect drainage of the soil here that produces
a tea with a distinctively muscadine flavour. Many people describe Darjeeling
as being a very relaxing tea.
Darjeeling black
teas are highly prized by the British and are considered to be one of their favourite
afternoon teas. In fact, it was the British who began the first tea colonies in
India, in order to compete with Asian tea production.
The Darjeeling
region of India has become synonymous with tea production. In fact, many
tourists take a ride up the Himalayan railway to Darjeeling just to take a peek
at the beautiful tea gardens that can be found there.
Darjeeling is one
of the biggest tea producing regions in the world, but only a small percentage
of the tea produced there is green tea. Darjeeling green tea is very different
from teas grown anywhere else in the world. It is milder than black Darjeeling
tea and has a flowery bouquet.
Darjeeling green
tea is a very nice combination of the grassy flavour of a traditional green,
but with the Muscat flavour that characterizes all Darjeeling teas. When brewed
it is a much paler tea than Darjeeling black tea, with an amber colour and a
fragrant aroma.
Because both India
and Sri Lanka are rather new to green tea production and produce far less green
tea than Asia, you may have some difficulty finding Ceylon and Indian green
teas. However, they are gaining popularity and will become easier to find.
Today, there are a handful of tea purveyors in the United States that carry
these varieties of green tea.
If you’ve been
unsatisfied with the flavour of Asian green teas, you may have come to the
conclusion that you’re simply not a green tea drinker.
However, before you
give up on green tea, which is one of the healthiest beverages you can drink,
give Ceylon or Indian green teas a try. They may be a bit hard to find, but
when you do, they are certainly worth the trouble.
Comments