Black teas

Black loose leaf teas: Buy the best.
Black tea is perhaps the most familiar to us. These teas are allowed to oxidise during manufacture but there are considerable variations in method. This gives black tea immense variety of character. Our black loose leaf teas include Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiri, Nepalese, China, Ceylon and Kenyan teas. Our loose black tea is only made by the orthodox method and we have the best quality large leaf grades.

Having been picked, typically using the two leaves and a bud principle, the fresh teas are withered in the open air. This wilting stage reduces the moisture content in the leaf. They are then torn and rolled which makes the green leaves turn black through oxidation, a natural consequence of being exposed to the air. After a few hours the tea is then fired to stop oxidation. The tea is finally graded by leaf size.

Black tea is drunk either with or without milk. This depends upon whether it is a light or a full bodied. China and Darjeeling teas are light and are therefore best without. Lapsang Souchong, more full bodied Keemuns and Yunnan are exceptions. Assam, Ceylon, and especially Dimbula teas are full bodied and therefore should be drunk with milk. All black tea has varying amounts of tannin and this gives it a dry, biscuity character in common.