All About Tea - Camellia Sinensis
Tea, the national beverage of many countries, originally indigenous to both China and India, have their own legend on the discovery of tea. The recorded origins of tea date back to 2737 BC when Chinese Emperor Shen Nung, whilst boiling water for drinking on a hunting expedition, had leaves of a nearby wild tree accidentally falling into the pot brew unintentionally. The Emperor drank the brew and took a particular liking to the taste. This incident, eventually led to tea developing into China’s national drink.
The word “Tea” was derived from
the early Chinese words ‘Cha’ and
‘Te’ which were used to describe both,
the beverage and the leaf. It is said that a Persian Merchant
named Haddji Mahommed was the first to bring the knowledge of tea to Europe
through his travels to Cathay – China.
The Portugese and the Dutch were credited with the spread of tea
drinking and trading in Europe in the late 16th and early 17th
Centuries.
Pioneered by Vascodagama who
sailed around the Cape of Good
Hope in 1497, commercial quantities of tea arrived in 1595
with regular shipments of tea, into the ports of Holland,
Portugal and France. Until 1637, tea was purchased from Dutch
traders by the British as British ships did not reach China until
1637. The first sale of tea in Britain was in 1657 when
Thomas Garaway, a tobacconist and coffee shop keeper, sold and served
tea in his shop in Exchange Alley, in the City of London.
Tea today, is a national drink of many countries across the Globe, popularised by various colonial influences which spread across the
world due to European nations conquering many countries of Asia, the Middle East, Far East and parts of South America.
Tea was first introduced to Ceylon by James Taylor, the Scottish planter, in 1867. Ever since the first plants were
grown on Loolecondera estate in the central hills of the Kandy area in Hewahetta, tea has been the mainstay of the economy of Sri Lanka for
the past 139 years.
Production of Tea
Tea production involves the growing of tea on mainly mountainous regions with good agro-climatic conditions with cold dry winds and adequate water for the sustainance of the tea plant – Camellia Sinensis. Originally, tea plants were grown with tea seeds and were called “Seedling Production”. In the present day however, tea plants are cultivated by taking cuttings of mature plants and propagating them on a vegetative basis.
Plucking Tea
The tender leaves – mainly two leaves and a bud – are plucked by hand once every two weeks and the leaves thus collected are transported to the tea factories.
Withering
In the factory, the leaves are weighed and spread on withering troughs for the reduction of moisture from the tea leaves.
Rolling
The withered tea leaves with less moisture is then put on rollers and the tea is compressed mechanically in a rolling movement to crush the leaves and to let the juice from the tea leaves, which is now concentrated with less water due to withering and the rolled leaf is then left stationery on cemented or tiled tables, for fermentation.
The pressure of rolling will determine the type of leaves produced. Light pressure is used to produce a greater percentage of big leaf teas and heavy pressure is used to produce a lesser percentage of small leaf tea.
After fermentation, the tea is taken into a drier chamber where hot air is passed onto the fermented tea which is moving on a conveyor belt which is known as the Fluid Bed Drier.
Orthodox Tea
The dried tea is the made Orthodox tea.
CTC Tea - Crush, Tear and Curled Teas
This method of manufacture uses a different technique where the withered leaf is passed between two rollers crushing or masserating the leaves and the leaves thus cut to small size is passed along a long belt at controlled speed, allowing the masserated leaf to ferment. The leaf thus fermented passes through a Fluid Bed Drier Chamber to produce an improved CTC tea which is brown in appearance and very strong in cup character when brewed.
In the process of fermentation, all teas change colour from green to coppery brown. The process of fermentation for Orthodox teas is longer, whilst the CTC teas is very short.
The made tea is sifted on a vibratory sifter to sort out the different leaf sizes which are called 'Grades'. A list of grades for the different types of manufacture are set out below:
CTC Manufacture
Large granular particles - Broken Pekoe 1 - BP1
Medium granular particles - Broken Pekoe - BP
Neat small granular particles - Pekoe Fannings - PF1
Smaller granular particles - Pekoe Fannings - PF
Broken Pekoe Fannings - BPF
The bi-products (Off grades with fibre)
Clean, very small granular
particles - Dust 1 - D1
Mixed very small fluffy granular particles - Dust - D
Orthodox Manufacture
FOP - Flowery Orange Pekoe
Flower means the finest tea buds which turn white when dry due to the micro-fibre on the back of the leaf. Wiry, well-twisted leaf with show of white particles (tip or flower).
OP - Orange Pekoe
Wiry, well-twisted black leaf tea.
FBOP - Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe
Smaller particles than Orange Pekoe (OP) with little show of tip or flower.
PEKOE - Pekoe
Shotty, neat looking leaf.
BOP - Broken Orange Pekoe.
Small neat particles suitable for leaf tea bags and light liquoring tea bags.
BOPF - Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings
Small grainy particles suitable for tea bags.
D1 - Dust 1
Minute grainy neat particles suitable for very strong liquoring tea bags.
D - Dust
Micro particles with fluff and very strong cup character suitable for tea bags.
The Bi-Products (Off Grades)
BP - Broken Pekoe
BM - Broken Mixed
BPF - Broken Pekoe Fannings
Fancy Leaf Grades
These are usually made in medium and low grown estates
OP1 - Orange Pekoe 1
Wiry long leaf.
OP - Orange Pekoe
Wiry shorter leaf.
OPA - Orange Pekoe A
Bold badly twisted tea leaves usually preferred by Arabic consumers.
FBOP - Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe
Shorter than Orange Pekoe, longer than Broken Orange Pekoe - in-between leaf with a little show of tip or fine bud.
BOP1 - Broken Orange Pekoe 1
Shorter version of Orange Pekoe with a well Twisted leaf.
BOP - Broken Orange Pekoe
Well made small leaf tea.
BOPF - Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings
Small grainy particles with a neat leaf appearance
DUST 1 - Dust
Neat, very small particles.
DUST - Dust
Micro particles of fine powdery leaf.
Speciality Grades
FBOPF Extra Sp. - White Tip
This tea is white in appearance and is made up of the very fine buds - made of a selected type of leaf that is generally not processed in normal tea machinery but is hand processed using diffused sun light for drying.
Growing Elevations
Ceylon tea grows in different elevations and according to the elevation in which tea is grown, the character of the cup varies. Following is a chart showing these details:
Nuwara-Eliya
As Nuwara-Eliya is unique, so is its tea. The fragrance of Cyprus trees and the menthol of wild mint and eucalyptus float through the air and contribute to the tea’s characteristic flavour.Recognised by tea connoisseurs, it has been said that Nuwara-Eliya, at 6,240 ft. above sea level, is to Ceylon tea what Champagne is to French wine.
Brewed light, it makes a very smooth cup of tea that can also be iced for a refreshing difference.
Uda Pussellawa
Located east of Nuwara-Eliya, the tea grown on the Uda Pussellawa mountain range experiences two periods of superior quality. The traditional eastern quality season from July to September is the peak but the dry, cold conditions of the first quarter of the year yield a range of rosy teas.
Of medium body and subtle character, these teas produce a majestic flavour.
Dimbula
One of the earliest areas to be planted after tea took over from coffee in the 1870sDimbula is, perhaps, the most famous name associated with Ceylon tea. The plantations located at 3,500 to 5,500 ft. above sea level, cover the western slopes of the district.
The monsoon rains and the cold dry weather produce a range of teas, from full bodied to light and delicate. Enjoyed with or without milk.
Uva
Grown at an elevation between 3,000 to 5,000 ft. above sea level, on the eastern slopes of Sri Lanka’s central mountains, the Uva teas have a truly unique flavour.
These teas are commonly used in many different blends but, with their different characteristics, they can also be enjoyed on their own.
Kandy
An ancient capital of Ceylon, Kandy is also the first place where tea was grown in Sri Lanka. These mid country teas, grown on plantations at 2,000 to 4,000 ft., produce a full bodied tea. Ideal for those who like their tea strong and bursting with flavour. Best served with milk.
Ruhuna
The uniqueness of this tea begins with the low elevation of its plantations. The southern part of Sri Lanka, though not traditionally known for its tea growing, does produce an exceptional tea.& Grown from sea level to about 2,000 ft. the particular condition of the soil gives the leaves blackness and imparts in the brew a strong and distinctive taste.
A perfect cup for those who like their tea thick and sweet, with or without milk.
Darjeeling
Indian teas grown on the foot hills of the Himalayas – 8,000 to 12,000 ft. high – produce this delicate brew.
Teas Used in Mhaidiva
Foil Envelopes
All foil envelopes used a blend of BOPFs from the high grown selected
Dimbula and Nuwara-Eliya mountain regions.
English Breakfast
A blend of selected Dimbula bright liquoring BOP Fannings.
Fine Ceylon Tea
Delicate Nuwara-Eliya and fine Dimbula teas.
Flavoured Teas
All flavoured teas are made up of a blend of Nuwara-Eliya and fine
Dimbula BOP Fanning teas.
Darjeeling Tea
Selected teas from special Darjeeling estates, grown at 12,000 ft.
above sea level on the Himalayan mountains region.
Rooibos
Fine South African high grown Rooibos.
Camomile
Specially grown Camomile flowers from Greece.
Lemon Grass
Delicate leaves of Lemon Grass from the exotic Far East.
Lapsang Souchong
Fine smoked Green Tea from China.
Green Tea and Jasmine Tea
Made according to the Chinese manufacturing methods, using fine Ceylon
high grown tea leaves.
Mhai Diva Pyramid Tea Bags and Metal Cans
High grown Orange Pekoe and Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe teas blended in balance have been used for all pyramids and loose tea.
Darjeeling
Fine teas from the Himalayan mountains.
Japanese Sencha
Tea (Camellia Sinensis) – manufactured according to
traditional Japanese methods.
Rooibos
Original South African herbs.
Quality Comparison - CTC and Orthodox Manufactured Teas
Most teas sold are made up of a blend of CTC teas with Orthodox or in some cases only CTC teas are used.
The CTC teas give quick colour when infused but have very short shelf life due to high absorption of humidity that deteriorates the tea faster.
All Mhaidiva teas used high quality orthodox teas which give colour and brew slower when infused, but the rate of deterioration due to absorption of moisture is very slow. Hence, possess a longer shelf life.
Tea Cultures Around the World
Tea is indigenous to both China and India and both countries tell their own legend about the discovery of tea. China's Shen Nung, often described as an emperor, was resting under a tree in 2737 BC. Whilst boiling some water, a leaf from a nearby wild tea tree fell into the pot. He drank the brew and liked it. By the time of the Tang Dynasty (906 - 618 BC), tea was China's national drink.
According to the American author William Ukers, a Persian merchant called Hajji Mahommed, brought the first knowledge of tea to Europe.
The Portuguese and the Dutch may be credited with the spread of tea drinking and trading in Europe in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. The Portuguese pioneered the shipping routes to the East. The famous Vasco da Gama sailed around the Cape of Good Hope in 1497 and sailed on to Malacca on the Malay Peninsula. In 1516 he reached China. The Dutch navigator and writer Jan Hugo van Linschooten, persuaded Dutch captains and traders that it would be more profitable to open up their own direct trading routes. From 1595, they did this and regular shipments of tea were brought back to the ports of France, Holland and Portugal.
In the seventeenth century, tea was expensive since it was not only a rare commodity but also heavily taxed. The East India Company had their charter, granted by Elizabeth 1, revised twice. In 1669 it was given the British trading monopoly in the East and imports from Holland were banned. A staggering amount of 185 million cups of tea a day are drunk in Britain.
But its secret powers reside in its almost human quality. Tea tells stories, punctuates journeys and is a muse to poets. Tea brings cultures together and is a sign of hospitality and conviviality. Over the centuries no other earthly product has called forth such subtle and intricate rituals.
China
The Chinese drink black and green tea brewed light in special Chinese tea cups and use a variety of many tea wares - pots, cups strainers, spoons, warmers, and so on. All meals accompany green or black tea of orthodox manufacture.
Japan
In Japan, green tea - Sencha is most popular brewed hot with good spring water and is consumed in special bowls with all meals and for social gatherings. A very special grade of green tea is 'Tencha', which is powdered to form 'Matcha' and is used in the famous Japanese tea ceremonies.
Far East
In all of the Far East, tea is the most popular beverage drunk hot without any sweetening. Ice tea became popular in the not so distant past.
Great Britain
The British consume strong brewed teas with milk or cream - at times by those with a sweet tooth with sugar to taste. All former British colonies, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Africa and Singapore consume tea the British way as thought by the English. Mostly strongly brewed with milk and after adding sugar to taste sweet. Tea is drunk as a habit in the morning and at tea time in the evening. Of course many cups of tea are served as visitors are always entertained with a cup of tea as courtesy to the guest.
Pakistan
In the mountains of the north of Pakistan, tea leafs are not brewed but cooked in milk and the extract is drunk with sugar whilst the cooked infusion is consumed with home made breads as a whole meal.
Middle East and Morocco
In the Arab world - Middle East and Morocco, tea is consumed in large volumes. Orthodox teas of varying leaf styles are popular in different countries and cultures.
Egypt
In Egypt - strong brewed fannings and dust grades that are very small in particle size are brewed very strong and runk with heavy doses of sugar in small glasses of a special shape. They also drink green tea with fresh mint leafs.
United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates has seen sophistication through the eyes of the western cultures, but still consumes black tea strongly brewed with sugar and accompanied by fresh and dry dates using mostly tea bags.
Iran
In Iran - special leaf teas with tip (the finest part of the bud) that has a decorative leaf is very popular. Drunk again strong with sugar.
Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia - very large Orange Pekoe teas with a flaky bold leaf is most popular, and is consumed with sugar.
Iraq
In Iraq, tea is the most popular beverage. Best of low grown teas from Ceylon, India and Indonesia were consumed here strong brewed with sugar.
Libya
The Libyans - too drink good Orange Pekoes of low grown elevation. Better teas were used pre-sanctions. Tea buying is controlled by the state.
Syria
Drink tea through the day and always entertain visitors mostly with tea. Different leaf teas of pekoe, BOPF1 and FBOP grades of low grown elevation is popular.
Tunesia
Drink black and green tea in similar proportions. Buying is controlled by the state. A mid grown black BOP is popular and good leaf green teas too.