Tale of the Tea Trades

History recorded that the first cup of tea drinking dating back in 2737 B.C was born through chance and stroke of luck when Chinese Emperor, Shen Nung, was seated under a tree and was boiling water to drink. A leaf fell from a Camellia sinensis plant into the boiling water. The Emperor let the flavor from the tealeaf permeate.

Three hundred years ago, when the countries of Asia opened its cultural treasures to the western world through seafaring traders, they brought the tea from China to the British Isles. Tea first arrived in Ireland after being imported from the colonies of the British Empire.

Traditionally, tea has a classy reputation associated with glamour and wealth. During the 18th Century Ireland, it was stylish to serve fresh tea at any respected high society function. One well-known tea clippers, Cutty Sark, reinforced the image more and helped to keep tea as a rather costly special treat.

Soon enough, companies realized the appeal of tea to ordinary people and became the most popular drinks all over the world. The East India Company spent years searching and doing trials for tea. The first boxes were brought and auctioned at the London Tea Auction. After years of purchasing tea from the Chinese, the British raised their own Assam tea that was discovered by Robert Bruce during his visit to the hills around Rangpur, then capital of Assam Region.

Health Benefits

Generally, tea is esteemed for its relaxing and noteworthy health enhancing properties that reduces the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. It contains potassium and manganese and Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and folic acid; a natural source of antioxidants that defend us from the damaging effects of free radicals that naturally occurs in the body and aggravated by environmental factors such as smoking, pollution and sunlight.

Types of Teas

Black tea: Tea leaves of Camillia sinensis, oxidized, making the powerful antioxidants less active agents.

Green tea: Tea leaves of Camillia sinensis, antioxidants are intact and potent, have high levels of polyphenols, theanine and a vast variety of vitamins and minerals that use to lower the risk of contracting cancer, lowers both cholesterol and sugar in the blood and a powerful immune booster.

Oolong tea: Partially fermented tea, the “champagne” of all teas.

Chamomile tea: Healthy blend, naturally caffeine free, infused with leaves of Chamomile. Calming, soothing and gives the benefit of a good night’s sleep.

Indian tea: A blend of Kenyan and Indian Assam tea, with full-bodied taste and sensation, grown throughout India.

Kenyan tea: Has a unique body and taste with full-bodied appeal, famous black English teas blended with other teas.

Tea Grading Schemes

Flowery orange pekoe: fine, tender young leaves rolled with the correct proportion of tip, the delicate end pieces of the buds.

Orange pekoe: very ends of the golden yellow buds.

Golden flowery orange pekoe: "golden tips," the very ends of the golden yellow buds.

Tippy golden flowery orange pekoe: large proportion of golden tips.

Finest tippy golden flowery orange pekoe: exceptionally high quality flowery orange pekoe.

Special finest tippy golden flowery orange pekoe: the very best flowery orange pekoe.

Orange pekoe: long pointed leaves harvested when the end buds open into leaf.

Pekoe: shorter; less fine leaves than orange pekoe.

Flowery pekoe: leaves are rolled into balls.

Pekoe souchong: shorter coarser leaves than pekoe.

Souchong: large leaves rolled lengthwise producing coarse ragged pieces. Term for China's smoked teas.

Broken Leaf Grades Categories:

1. Golden flowery broken orange pekoe
2. Golden broken orange pekoe
3. Tippy golden broken orange pekoe
4. Tippy golden flowery broken orange pekoe
5. Flowery broken orange pekoe
6. Broken orange pekoe
7. Broken pekoe
8. Broken pekoe souchong

Fannings/Fines (Dusts) Grades Categories: made up of the finest siftings used in blends for tea bags for quick brew, added to broken leaf grades for best quality.

1. Orange fannings
2. Broken orange pekoe fannings
3. Pekoe fannings
4. Broken pekoe fannings
5. Pekoe dust
6. Red dust
7. Fine dust
8. Golden dust
9. Super red dust
10. Super fine dust
11. Broken mixed fannings

Depending upon plantation, genetic “parentage,” processing and blending, there may be about 3,000 variations of tea, but all tea comes from one plant, Camellia sinensis. Generally, the three main categories are green, black and oolong. The only difference amongst them were as a result of the processes they undergo.