There are four types of black tea:
The granular and powdered teas are characterized by an intense color, astringency, maximum strength and strongly expressed taste of a tea, but it has almost no flavor.
The most qualitative are the large-black teas grown in the two districts of India - Darjeeling and Assam.
Darjeeling tea - is the most expensive and elite black tea in the whole World. Unlike most of the other black teas, Darjeeling is sold with a very detailed description, indicating the place of cultivation, the harvest date, age of the bushes and etc.
Assamese tea - usually has a bright and saturated orange or reddish infusion with a characteristic not strong malt aroma. Assam teas are more astringent than Darjeeling, but less flavorful. Assam - strong enough, flavored tea, often many varieties that are labeled as «Irish Breakfast», are mixtures of 70-80% consisting of Assamese varieties.
Nilgiri tea (nilgiris) - South Indian tea. Often sold as a luxury brand, but its mediocre and its taste are close to the characteristics of the good Ceylon teas. In comparison with Assam and Darjeeling - rude. Not very flavorful, gives a rich color and flavor infusion. Often sold under the guise of Nilgirisa mix of ordinary crop plantations.
Sikkim tea - a relatively new in the World tea market variety, which appeared in the mass sale only in the 80-90 years of the twentieth century. This variety of tea is growing in the place, which is very close to the Darjeeling plantations if to speak about the conditions.
Chinese black tea is presented on the World market mainly in the three types:
Keemun tea. Kimun tea is rarely sold as a separate class, but it is often the basis of many teas labeled as English Breakfast. Kimun tea has a large number of varieties and species (30). Most often, when brewed Kimun tea, appears red infusion with a combination of fine fragrances, aroma rich, fruity bouquet reminiscent of such a plum and apple. Some types have a subtle scent of smoke.
Lapsang Souchong tea. This black tea is prepared in a special way - in the ovens, where tea leaves are dried, burnt pine needles. The smoke from the needles smokes tea materials, giving it a specific flavor. Lapsang Souchong are considered to be those, where the taste and aroma of the tea is not suppressed by smoke, but subtly merged with it.
Yunnan tea. China's Yunnan province - the birthplace of the famous Chinese oolong, such as pu-erh. That is why many of the Yunnan black teas are very original and taste like a slightly too fermented oolong or the black teas, which are a little bit not enough fermented. Yunnan teas have pretty dark brown color of the infusion, as well as a very distinctive flavor and subtle earthy flavor is specifically expressed. It should be remembered that the black tea for a European, for a Chinese is considered to be red red. So, the name “red” should be taken into account like “black”.
