6 main types of true tea in the world.

 

6 main types of true tea in the world:

Green tea – unoxidized, quickly steamed or pan-fired.

Black tea – fully oxidized.

Oolong tea – partially oxidized, between green and black.

White tea – minimally processed, often just dried.

Yellow tea – lightly fermented, rare, mostly in China.

Dark tea (Hei Cha) – post-fermented teas like Pu-erh.

If you include herbal infusions (tisanes), which are not technically “tea” because they don’t come from Camellia sinensis, the variety becomes almost limitless. These include: Chamomile, peppermint, rooibos, hibiscus, etc.

Also, within each main type, there are thousands of varieties based on: Region (Darjeeling, Assam, Ceylon, Matcha, Sencha, Longjing, etc.) Cultivar (specific tea plant varieties) Processing style (smoked teas like Lapsang Souchong, rolled teas like Gunpowder, aged teas like Pu-erh) Flavoring / blending (Earl Grey, chai, jasmine tea, etc.)

So, in summary: 6 main types of true tea, thousands of regional / cultivar / processing varieties, countless herbal teas if you include non-Camellia infusions.