The world of tea can be just as fascinating as the world of wine. Both are living products with flavours that evolve over time and a sense of place, or terroir. But when it comes to tea, there are six main colour-coded categories. 

The tea we are talking about here is solely made by Camellia sinensis, not herbal infusions. The Chinese discovered this remarkable tea plant around 3,000 BC and initially used it purely for medical purposes. Later, tea making became an art and appreciated for its craftsmanship. The Chinese colour-coded tea into six categories, based on its degree of oxidation and how it is processed.

As tea leaves oxidise, they change from green to brown. The longer they oxidise, the darker the colour will become, resulting in a darker shade of tea. To manage the oxidation level, tea makers apply heat to the leaves to stop the process. The delicate nuances in the tea are influenced by the careful management of this process.

White Tea

White tea is commonly made by using only the new leaf buds that are covered with little hairs. These hairs act as the defence system and protect the young buds from insects and harsh weather conditions. After harvest the buds are dried without further processing. The dried tea has a silvery-white appearance and the liquid has an ivory tone and a delicate flavour. 

Yellow Tea

The best yellow teas are rare and can reap a super-premium price. The yellow colour comes from the unique wrapping or heaping process which caramelises the tea leaves when the carbohydrates or sugars in tea are heated. This gives the leaves a yellow hue, refreshing flavour and sweet, mellow taste.  Jun Shan Silver Needle is one of the most famous yellow teas in China and used to be offered to emperors as a tribute. Yellow teas take several days to make and require careful handling which explains their rarity and high price.

Green Tea

All tea leaves start off green but green tea keeps its colour because heat is applied to the leaves soon after they are plucked. They are then rolled or pressed to develop flavour. Chinese green tea is commonly heated by ‘panning’ (dry heat), and Japanese green tea is normally ‘steamed’ (wet heat). As a result, the latter will tend to have a brighter green hue in the cup and more umami flavours.

Blue Tea

In China, this category is traditionally called Chīng cha (Ching means blue-green) because of the colour of the dried leaves. The French took the direct translation, calling it “blue tea”. Nowadays, this category is commonly known as Oolong. This tea is partially oxidised, sitting between green tea and black tea in colour. The baking process that is commonly used towards the end of the production makes Oolong tea famed for its toasty notes.  

Red Tea

Outside China, red tea is called “black tea”. This is fully oxidised tea so the dry leaves are black but the tea liquid has a reddish tone. This is by far the most popular category in the West and many different types of machines are used to make the tea commercially, such as large rolling machines that replicate hand movements or CTC machines to cut, tear and curl the leaves to produce small tea particles for teabags.

Dark Tea

Slightly confusingly, this is called “black tea” in China and the most renowned in this category is Pu-erh. Dark teas were originally made around the 10th century  Historically, Pu-erh tea was a green tea made in Yunnan Province in southwest China. It was compressed into cakes and transported to Tibet. During those long journeys, temperature and humidity fluctuations saw the tea begin to ferment on route. Its colour becomes very dark and it develops distinct earthy aromas and flavours. This fermentation can now be managed in a more controlled way, yet the countless nuances created by the natural fermentation process and the way it evolves over time makes Pu-erh one of the most valuable teas for collectors.