Encyclopedia

Tea Encyclopedia

The world's teas, with their origin, liquor color, and how to enjoy them.

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Origin map

● Click a marker to jump to that tea. On desktop, zoom with Ctrl(⌘)+wheel and drag to pan; on mobile, tap "Interact with map" first (27 straight-tea origins).

Estates, factories and historic sites you can visit: Tea Origins to Visit →

"Looking for the actual estates and tea shops? Try the world tea map." "World Tea Map" →

Straight

Single-origin tea leaves where the name of the region becomes the brand. This is the essence of black tea, allowing you to experience the unique characteristics of the tea garden and the season.

Darjeeling

Origin: North India
Liquor color: Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as a straight tea

Characterized by a unique aroma known as 'Muscatel'. Available at specialty shops by tea estate.

Assam

Origin: North India
Liquor color: Clear dark red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as milk tea

High in tannins with a mild flavor and rich aroma.

Nilgiri

Origin: South India
Liquor color: Deep Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as milk tea or in blended variations

Fresh and crisp aroma with a robust flavor.

Uva

Origin: Southeast Sri Lanka
Liquor color: Bright Red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as milk tea

Rich and invigorating flavor with a fragrant aroma; one of the 'world's three great black teas' in Japan.

Dimbula

Origin: Central region of Ceylon
Liquor color: Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced tea or in blended variations

Soft aroma reminiscent of roses and a mild flavor.

Nuwara Eliya

Origin: Central Sri Lanka
Liquor color: Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight tea

Refreshing aroma and robust flavor.

Kandy

Origin: Central Sri Lanka
Liquor color: Bright Red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as a variation tea or iced tea.

Mild astringency with a rich flavor.

Ruhuna

Origin: Southern Sri Lanka
Liquor color: Deep Rich Red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as a milk tea

It has a unique smoky flavor with little astringency.

Keemun

Origin: Anhui Province, China
Liquor color: Light Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight tea or milk tea

Features an orchid-like smoky flavor. Known as the Burgundy of Chinese tea.

Kenya

Origin: Kenya
Liquor color: Deep Red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced tea or milk tea

Smooth, rich, and sweet without astringency.

Java

Origin: Java Island
Liquor color: Bright Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced tea or milk tea

Mild flavor with consistent quality.

Kanyam

Origin: Nepal
Liquor color: Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight tea

A rare tea with a rich aroma, reminiscent of Darjeeling. (One of the author's favorites)

Raming

Origin: Thailand
Liquor color: Dark Brown
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight tea or iced tea.

Features large leaves.

Georgian Tea

Origin: Georgia (formerly known as Georgia)
Liquor color: Deep Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight tea

Characterized by a sweet flavor.

Rize

Origin: Turkey
Liquor color: Dark Brown
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as chai or straight tea

A tea with very low export volume.

Galle

Origin: Southern Sri Lanka
Liquor color: Bright Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced tea, straight tea, or milk tea

Floral aroma.

Dianhong / Yunnan

Origin: Yunnan Province, China
Liquor color: Shimmering Golden Red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight or milk tea

Rich in golden tips, sweet and mellow.

Jin Jun Mei

Origin: Fujian Province, China
Liquor color: Clear golden orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed straight (infuse multiple times with a small amount)

A premium Chinese black tea made exclusively from new buds, featuring a honey-like sweet aroma.

Ilam

Origin: Eastern Nepal
Liquor color: Bright Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as a straight tea

A vibrant and floral highland tea grown next to Darjeeling.

Sikkim

Origin: North India, Sikkim
Liquor color: Bright Amber
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as a straight tea

A rare high-altitude tea known for its Temi tea garden. Elegant aroma reminiscent of Darjeeling.

Dooars

Origin: North India, West Bengal
Liquor color: Deep Red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as a milk tea

Grown in the lowlands between Assam and Darjeeling. Smooth and mellow.

Sun Moon Lake Ruby (No.18)

Origin: Nantou County, Taiwan
Liquor color: Clear Ruby
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed straight

Taiwan Tea No. 18. Unique aroma reminiscent of cinnamon and mint.

Honey Black Tea

Origin: Taiwan
Liquor color: Bright Amber
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed straight

A natural honey aroma produced by leaves infested by leafhoppers.

Japanese Black Tea

Origin: Japan (Shizuoka, Kagoshima, and others)
Liquor color: Gentle Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed straight

Domestic black tea with mild astringency and soft sweetness.

Malawi

Origin: Malawi (Africa)
Liquor color: Bright Red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced milk tea

One of Africa's most historically significant tea regions with a clear and bright flavor.

Rwanda

Origin: Rwanda (Africa)
Liquor color: Deep Red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as a milk tea

A fresh and rich African black tea from high altitudes.

Vietnam

Origin: Northern Vietnam
Liquor color: Dark Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight or iced tea

Light and smooth with minimal astringency. Famous for its lotus aroma.

Flavory

Black tea infused with the aromas of flowers and fruits. It is generally recommended to enjoy it straight to appreciate the fragrance. The color and flavor can vary depending on the base tea leaves and product, so the descriptions are just guidelines.

Earl Grey

Leaf: China, Ceylon, etc.
Liquor color: Dark Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight tea or iced tea.

Aromatic with bergamot (citrus). The most famous flavored tea.

Lapsang Souchong

Leaf: Fujian Province, China
Liquor color: Deep Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced tea or milk tea

Features a smoky flavor with a pine aroma and an oriental scent.

Montagne Bleue

Leaf: China and Ceylon
Liquor color: Dark Brown
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight tea or iced tea

A mix of lavender and various fruit flavors.

Baikal

Leaf: China and Ceylon
Liquor color: Dark Brown
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight tea or iced tea

A flavor enhanced with bergamot and orange juice.

Ambre

Leaf: China and Ceylon
Liquor color: Dark Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced tea or straight tea

Flavors of honey and orange.

Caramel

Leaf: China and Ceylon
Liquor color: Dark Brown
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight tea, iced tea, or milk tea

Features a sweet caramel aroma.

Framboise

Leaf: China and Ceylon
Liquor color: Deep Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced tea or straight tea

Sweet and tangy aroma of raspberries.

Grandbois Vanille

Leaf: China and Ceylon
Liquor color: Dark Brown
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight tea or milk tea

Rich aroma of vanilla.

Apple

Leaf: China and Ceylon
Liquor color: Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight tea or iced tea

Aroma of apples, just as the name suggests.

Quartier Latin

Leaf: China and Ceylon
Liquor color: Deep Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight tea or iced tea

Aroma of lavender.

Rose

Leaf: China and Ceylon
Liquor color: Bright Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight tea

An elegant aroma of rose petals.

Peach

Leaf: China, Ceylon, etc.
Liquor color: Bright Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced tea

Juicy and sweet aroma of white peach.

Mango

Leaf: Ceylon, China, etc.
Liquor color: Deep Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced tea

A luscious sweet aroma of tropical mango.

Cinnamon

Leaf: Ceylon, China, etc.
Liquor color: Dark Brown
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as a milk tea

Spicy and sweet, with a warming cinnamon aroma.

Lychee

Leaf: Ceylon, China, etc.
Liquor color: Bright Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight or iced tea

Refreshing sweet aroma of lychee. Becomes even more vibrant when chilled.

Lemon

Leaf: Ceylon and others
Liquor color: Bright golden
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced tea or straight

Refreshing lemon aroma. Truly shines when served iced or with soda.

Muscat

Leaf: Darjeeling, Ceylon, etc.
Liquor color: Light Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight or iced tea

Elegant sweet aroma of muscat.

Tropical

Leaf: Ceylon, Kenya, etc.
Liquor color: Bright reddish-orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced tea

Tropical flavors of passion fruit and pineapple.

Mint

Leaf: Ceylon, China, etc.
Liquor color: Bright Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced tea

Refreshing mint aroma, perfect for hot seasons.

Strawberry

Leaf: Ceylon and others
Liquor color: Bright Red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight or iced tea

Sweet and charming strawberry aroma. Pairs well with ice cream and sweets.

Chocolate

Leaf: Ceylon, Assam, etc.
Liquor color: Dark reddish-brown
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as a milk tea

Sweet and fragrant cocoa aroma. Rich when brewed with milk.

Jasmine

Leaf: China and others
Liquor color: Bright Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed straight

A floral aroma of jasmine flowers. Elegant when enjoyed straight.

Ginger

Leaf: Assam, Ceylon, etc.
Liquor color: Deep Orange
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as straight or milk tea

A warm, spicy aroma of ginger. Perfect for cold days or chai.

Mixed Berry

Leaf: Ceylon and others
Liquor color: Bright Red
How to enjoy: Best enjoyed as iced tea

Sweet and tangy berry aroma, perfect for iced or fruit teas.

Blend

A type of black tea made from a blend of various tea leaves. The combinations vary by manufacturer, resulting in countless blends. The color and flavor can differ from product to product, so the descriptions are just guidelines.