Legend has it; in 2737 B.C. a Chinese emperor discovered tea when some tea leaves accidentally blew into a pot of boiling water. For more than 3000 years, the people who live in what is now modern China were the sole beneficiaries of the pleasures of tea. It wasn’t until the 8th century that this beverage was introduced to Japan, where it eventually rose to iconic status in the Japanese Tea Ceremony.

In the 17th century, Chinese tea crossed into the larger world by two routes: Ships of the Dutch East India Company transported it to Holland and beyond, and Russia began importing it via camel caravan. One hundred years later, the British afternoon tea was commonplace and their empire served to establish tea around the globe, including China’s near neighbor India, a country whose people had never experienced tea’s epicurean delights but — as was discovered in the early 19th century — had its own indigenous tea plants in the northeastern province of Assam.

Tea has since become the most widely consumed beverage on earth next to water. It has achieved a secure place in the history of its homeland, China, and in the cultures of at least two other countries: Japan and Great Britain.

All true teas come from the leaves of the tea bush or tea tree (Camellia sinensis), which is native to Asia. Just as there are many varietals of wine from grapes, so too are there many varieties of tea. Most quality teas produced today come from five countries in that part of the world: India, China, Japan, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. Each country has its own unique growing conditions and culturally influenced production methods that combine to give you the distinctive taste of the tea in your cup. Though deeply integrated, one with the other, each contributes special characteristics to every style of tea.

Green Tea

Green tea undergoes only slightly more processing than white tea and has a little more caffeine. It’s available in a bewildering array of infusions and styles that can be traced to two general regions: China and Japan. Chinese-style green tea is described as light, with a soft natural sweetness and hint of smokiness, whereas tea produced in Japan is fresh, with grassy notes and a hint of the ocean. These subtle differences are due to the variant production methods used in each country.

White

Enjoyed for nearly two centuries by the Chinese, white tea has just recently come to the attention of Westerners. Its delicate, translucent colour — from pale straw to light amber hues — comes from a high percentage of immature leaves or buds. Its flavour is subtle and smooth, a delicate infusion of citrus and floral notes that is never astringent.

Actually a minimally processed form of green tea, white tea is the least processed of all teas. The leaves and buds are merely dried (withered), sorted and packaged. This rare and delicate tea can only be harvested in the spring.

Herbal Tea

Referred to as Tisane in Europe, herbal teas are blends of various botanicals and spices from around the world, including North and South America. All herbal varieties are caffeine free and usually need to be infused longer than regular tea to release their full flavour.

Rooibos

Often referred to as Red Tea this mild, nutty-flavoured infusion from South African derives from a flowering shrub appropriately named rooibos.