In short, green tea is tea that undergoes little fragmentation, or oxidation. That is, from one plant, or rather from its leaves and buds, during processing, you can get different types of drink.

Different types of production from one another give the tea leaves a completely unique color, aroma and taste. The quality of tea is also influenced by factors such as growing conditions of the bushes and features of the assembly process.

Initially, in the culture of the countries of the East, green tea was in the first place in terms of consumption, it came to the West at the beginning of the twentieth century and gradually gained wide use and popularity.

Chinese green tea

Since ancient times, Chinese teas were considered the drinks of high-ranking officials and the imperial court. Now it is China that supplies the market with the main rare and elite varieties of green tea.

Xihu Longjing. The leader of the top ten teas from China. It got its name, which in Chinese means “Dragon Well”, in honor of the source, which is located in the city of Hangzhou.

The tea leaves are flat, have a dark jade hue. Pressed by hand. After brewing with water with a temperature not exceeding 80 degrees, it is infused for 3 minutes. The result is a bright yellow color. The taste of tea is soft, with a gentle-tart aftertaste and a sweetish aftertaste. Some connoisseurs compare the aroma of such a drink with the smell of an orchid.

Gunpowder. In the translation of the name of tea there is an English word “gunpowder” because of its peculiarly prepared leaves, which are twisted and resemble pellets.

The infusion from it turns out to be honey-yellow in color, the originality of taste is felt in a light note of dried fruits with sourness and smoke. When brewing, you can watch how the tea leaves “explode” under the influence of hot water and this is a very interesting sight. The shape of the leaves of this tea allows it to be stored longer than all other varieties. In Asia, it is used daily, adding honey, sugar, lemon or mint to taste.

Biluochun means “spring of the green snail”. “Spring” denotes the time at which tea leaves are harvested, green is tea itself, and snail is a type of tea leaves, originally twisted like a snail shell. Its difference is a very strong aroma of flowers and a pronounced fruity taste. The leaves from which it is made are so small that in a kilogram their finished dry product is up to 14,000.

Yun Wu, or “Cloud Mist”. The name of this tea hints at the places of its growth – high in the mountains. The aroma of the drink is somewhat reminiscent of roasted seeds. The taste is sweet and nutty. This variety is the most capricious in storage. It is best to use a refrigerator for this purpose. It requires a very short brewing period – only up to 3 seconds. If this is not observed, it becomes excessively tart and very bitter.

Huangshan Maofeng the first word of the name of this elite drink comes from the mountains where it is grown. Their peaks, covered with forest, resemble fluff, hence the second part of the name, which, when translated, means “Fluffy Peaks”.

The collection is made in early spring, and the young leaves and buds of this tea are also covered with fluff. The tea leaves of this unusual tea are called “bird’s tongues” for their shape, and the color is compared with “gold and ivory” for the original overflows of yellow, white and green.

Fragmentation is done on the day of collection. The taste is sweet with hints of nutty, the smell resembles a flower.

Japanese green tea

Unlike other countries, Japan produces only green tea. In this country, an unusual way of preparing tea leaves with steam is used, which gives it an unusual flavor that gourmets can immediately identify. Japanese teas also differ from Chinese varieties in the darker color of tea leaves.

Sencha is the most common tea in Japan. Its selected leaves are obtained from two collections – in May and July. The shape of its tea leaves is called in everyday life “spider legs”. When dry, this tea has a rich, woody aroma. The color of the infusion is light green. The taste is slightly sweet with a slight hint of bitterness, in addition, there is moderate astringency. Suitable for Japanese national cuisine.

Midori Tani. The blend is made from a blend of different Japanese teas, including Sencha. It was created for Europeans during a special rise in fashion for Japanese culture. The spicy-nutty smell of this greenish infusion with herbaceous-peach notes cannot but please a true connoisseur.

Gyokuro. The literal translation means “Pearl Drop”. This rather expensive variety of tea is harvested in early spring. A feature of its cultivation is that the bush is shaded twenty days before harvesting with the help of special devices. This allows reduce the amount of tannin in tea, which gives it a bitter taste. Therefore, real gourmets in this tea will immediately appreciate the softness and sweetness with a fresh aroma.

In appearance, tea leaves are similar to needles. It should be brewed correctly, with boiling water cooled to 60 degrees.

Bantya. Considered an inexpensive variety. It is collected late, consists of large and hard leaves and stalks on the same bushes where septya was harvested.

Ryokucha. The birthplace of the drink is the island of Kyushu. It has a herbaceous citrus aroma. The taste is reminiscent of berries. Brewed at a temperature of 70 degrees for no more than two minutes. Suitable for continuous use.

Matta. Green tea powder, which is used not only in traditional ceremonies, but also suitable as an additive to desserts and ice cream. When harvesting, shading is used, as well as in gyokuro, but during manufacture, the leaf is left in a straightened form, after which the veins and stems are removed and ground into a fine powder. This processing method allows you to get a very concentrated drink.

Georgian green tea

The first material for planting green tea was brought to Georgia in the 16th century.

There are about twenty commercial varieties of the drink in this country. In terms of taste, they can easily compete with their Chinese and Japanese counterparts. The most elite varieties of Georgian green tea are Bouquet of Georgia, Extra, No. 115 and No. 125.

In Georgia, pressed tea is also made in the form of bricks. This form allows it to be stored and transported for a long time without losing its taste properties.

Indian green tea

It should be noted that in India, green tea has not gained much popularity among the indigenous people. However, a small amount is grown in the northern part of the country.

This tea has quality indicators of average and below. It is intended mainly for export to the poor countries bordering India and for the tourism business.

Ceylon tea

Pearl of the Ocean. This is a large leaf tea from Ceylon. Its leaves are not strongly twisted and unfold beautifully when brewed. The color of the finished drink is honey-gold. Its taste is tart, the aroma is floral.

Green Southep. A variety of green large-leaf tea with original impregnation with exotic fruit extract. The tea leaves have the color of amber. Thanks to its fresh taste, it perfectly quenches thirst, especially in hot weather.