The Journey of Tea – Nature’s Gift

Camellia Sinesis undertake a long journey to become tea. Depending on the tea type, a good tea may require up to 10 steps and as long as six months to a year to complete.

Tea Picking

Skilled artisans hand-pick fresh tea buds on hills and mountains.  Tea pickers often start before dawn and finish before sun is high to ensure the most tender buds are gathered. A good tea picker can differentiate between the different levels of leaves needed for different types of teas.

Tea Seperation

Fresh buds are separated to ensure only premium leaves remain.

The master tea maker will fine tune the next steps based on the quality of the leaves and weather conditions that day– controlling oxidation, rolling, fermentation, and roasting process is critical to the final taste of the tea.

Tea Withering & Oxidation

Depending on the tea type, fresh leaves are may be withered by the full sun, partial sun, shaded outdoors, or completely indoors.

This process releases the moisture of the leaves in a controlled manner, enhancing the flavor. This process requires careful calibration by the master tea maker.

Tea Tossing & Resting

Alternating between hand tossing, turning and resting, the tea maker controls the oxidation levels and moisture release of tea leaves. Well aerated bamboo pans or long porous tea beds are used at this stage.

Fixing of Tea Leaves

Depending on tea type, tea buds are  fixed through heated pans, low temperature roasting, or steaming. Heated pans resemble huge iron woks heated by wood or charcoal. There are many hand techniques deployed this stage and special artisans are often used.

Fixing leaves is an art- the timing and technique adjusts according to the condition of the tea leaves.

Fermentation & Oxidation

Fermentation releases tea’s natural sugars as well as unique flavors of its terroir.  Black teas and Pu’er teas undergo both fermentation and oxidation.

Rolling

A traditional technique that rolls each tea leaf into ball or strip shape. Green Oolongs are rolled into balls, with the pressure of this process concentrating the fragrance of the tea. Strip rolling “twists” each leaf. Each leaf unfurls during brewing to release its full flavor and scent.

Roasting

Certain teas are roasted in hand-made bamboo vats over clean natural charcoals (such as bamboo or hard woods), creating a complex body and long finish that last several brews. Good “rock teas” are roasted a minimum of three times and up to nine times, with one month resting in between.

This process is additional to normal tea leaf drying. Some teas (Lap Song Cha) also undergo additional smoking.