GLOSSARY

agony of the leaves: The unfurling of tea leaves during infusion; best observed in a transparent vessel. Certain teas provide a spectacular show while steeping.

antioxidant: A polyphenol compound which scavenges cell-damaging free radicals, impairing their ability to harm beneficial molecules. These compounds are abundant in the tea plant.

aroma: The odor of brewed tea leaves and the resulting liquor; also known as the nose.

Assam: A major production region in northeastern India, and one of the largest tea growing regions in the world. Also the eponymous black tea produced in this area, known for its strong, malty flavor.

astringency: A drying sensation in the mouth; most noticeable with more oxidized teas.

autumnal: Tea produced in the fall, which is usually near the end of growing season; often used in reference to Darjeeling fourth-flush teas.

Bai Mudan: “White Peony,” a popular style of lightly oxidized white tea containing the bud and top two leaves; originated in Fujian Province, China.

bergamot: A citrus fruit grown in the Mediterranean, from the rind of which a fragrant oil can be extracted. This is the original source of orange essence used to flavor Earl Grey tea.

Bi Luo Chun: “Green Snail Spring,” a tightly spiraled green tea first made in Jiangsu Province, China.

bingcha: “Cake tea,” a disk-shaped, compressed form of pu-erh.

black tea: A style of tea in which the leaves are as fully oxidized as possible. This is the most popular type of tea worldwide; in China, it is also known as red tea due to the color of the infusion.

blend: A combination of various lots of tea, often from diverse locations, mixed to establish consistency in flavor. Can also refer to a combination of different teas with other ingredients to achieve a desired flavor or visual profile.

body: Traditional term to denote strength and viscosity of a brewed tea.

bohea: Former term for early Chinese oolong and black teas; mispronunciation of Wuyi.

brick tea: Pu-erh tea leaves which have been steamed and compressed into a brick shape. Also known as zhuan cha.

caffeine: A bitter alkaloid produced by the tea plant which deters insect attacks. Also acts as a stimulant and diuretic in humans.

catechin: A type of flavonoid found in tea which functions as an antioxidant. The most prominently studied example is epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG.

Ceylon: Tea produced in Sri Lanka, usually black, with a characteristic brisk, bright flavor.

cha: Romanized spelling of Chinese and Japanese character which denotes the word tea.

chai: The word for tea on the Indian subcontinent. In the West, generally refers to sweetened black tea infused with milk and spices (masala chai).

chen nian: Chinese term for aged tea leaves.

chest: Traditional shipping container for tea, made of wood with a metal lining.

congou: Former term for Chinese black tea; mispronunciation of gong fu.

CTC: Acronym for cut, tear, curl, a machine process that gained popularity in the mid-1900s; it reduces withered tea leaves into uniform particles to speed processing and often facilitate oxidation. Typical of most black tea grown in India and other lowland producing countries, and used in bagged tea to create a rapidly infusing, more darkly colored tea.

Darjeeling: A fragrant type of tea produced in the mountainous Darjeeling region of West Bengal, India.

dust: The smallest grade of tea, typically low value and low quality. Dust is prized for its quick extraction and is commonly used in commercial-grade tea bags.

Earl Grey: Traditionally a strong black tea blend flavored with bergamot oil; named for England’s second Earl Grey, Charles Grey (1764–1845).

fang cha: Square-shaped, compressed form of pu-erh.

fannings: Small particles of tea, one grade larger than dust; commonly used in tea bags.

fermentation: Former term for what is now called oxidation; still in common use at origin to describe the browning of the leaf. Can also refer to the maturation process of pu-erh.

firing: Process in which tea leaves are dried using heat to prevent further enzymatic changes. This renders tea shelf-stable, fit for packing and storing.

flush: A unique plucking season, usually out of four throughout the year; each is often known for its distinctive flavor.

gaiwan: Chinese lidded cup and saucer that is used to steep tea.

gao shan: Taiwanese high mountain oolong, produced at elevations beginning around 3,300 feet.

genmaicha: Japanese green tea blended with roasted rice.

golden: Refers to copper-colored buds present in high-quality black tea.

gong fu: Skill and practice; a style of brewing tea with a high proportion of leaf to water and a series of short infusions.

green tea: Unoxidized style of tea in which the leaf is heated shortly after harvest; traditionally produced in China and Japan. The first style of tea ever produced.

gyokuro: “Jade dew,” a rich-flavored Japanese green tea made from plants shaded before harvest.

heicha: “Dark tea,” a distinct style from China in which the leaves are aged and usually fermented; encompasses the popular subcategory pu-erh.

hojicha: Roasted, twig-style green tea from Japan.

hou fa jiao: “Post fermentation,” the microbial action which causes maocha to deepen in color and complexity.

jasmine tea: Typically a green or oolong tea scented with jasmine flowers; first produced in China.

jin cha: “Tight tea,” a mushroom-shaped form of compressed pu-erh.

kabuse: “Covered,” a unique Japanese process of shading tea leaves before harvesting in order to alter their chemical composition.

Keemun: A rich Chinese black tea from Anhui Province, named after the town of Qimen. Often used in English Breakfast blends.

lao cha: “Old tea,” refers to an aged tea plant, or an aged tea leaf; used primarily with pu-erh.

Lapsang Souchong: Chinese black tea from Fujian Province, traditionally smoked over local red pine wood; considered the first black tea ever made.

Long Jing: “Dragon Well,” a classic Chinese green tea with distinctive sword-shaped leaves.

matcha: “Powdered tea,” a style refined in Japan that traditionally refers to a shaded, stone-ground green tea.

nose: Aroma of brewed tea leaves or liquor.

oolong: Derived from “wu long,” the Chinese term for black dragon. A semi-oxidized type of tea traditionally made in China and Taiwan; usually ball shaped or twisted; renowned for its complex tastes and aromas and ability to be steeped several times.

orange pekoe: A grading term that refers to larger leaves of the tea plant; does not refer to flavor characteristics. Commonly used in Indian and Sri Lankan tea production.

Oriental Beauty: Also known as Bai Hao, a heavily oxidized, deeply fragrant oolong from Taiwan that is bitten by leaf-hopper insects before harvest.

orthodox: Traditional method for hand-picking and processing teas in India without using CTC techniques.

oxidation: The process of enzymic browning, in which elements in the tea leaf react with internal catalysts and air. This creates a dark brown-red color and characteristic deeper aroma and flavor in the resulting tea.

pan-firing: Method of heating the leaf and arresting enzymatic oxidation of tea; also known in Chinese as “sha qing.”

pekoe: Term for the largest leaves used to produce whole leaf teas. Can also refer to an undistinctive blend of commodity black teas.

phoenix oolong: Also known as “dan cong,” a partially oxidized, twisted-leaf style of oolong native to the Phoenix Mountains in Guangdong Province, China.

plucking: Process of harvesting and collecting tea leaves from the plant.

polyphenols: Organic compounds, also referred to as flavonoids, which are present in tea and have antioxidant qualities.

pu-erh: Style of tea produced in China’s Yunnan Province from the large leaf variety Camellia sinensis assamica which undergoes a sun-drying process. Made in two main styles (sheng and shu); prized for its ability to gain complexity and value with proper aging, and to be infused many times.

rolling: Process by which withered tea leaves are shaped, and enzymatic oxidation is encouraged by rupturing the cell walls.

sencha: Steamed green tea widely produced in Japan.

sheng: Green or raw form of pu-erh; the original style, which ages slowly and gains complexity over decades.

shu: Brown or ripe form of pu-erh in which additional moisture is introduced to the leaves; tends to not change as much as sheng when aged.

Spring Fortune: Unique, deeply aromatic oolong made in northern Taiwan.

Taiping Huo Kui: Classic Chinese green tea with large, flattened leaves; made in Anhui Province.

tea: The processed leaves, or the infused beverage brewed from the processed leaves, of the Camellia sinensis plant.

theaflavin, thearubigin: Antioxidant flavonoids, or catechol tannins, that are produced during the process of oxidation. These compounds are what contribute the deep gold, red, and brown colors to black tea.

theanine: Chemical unique to the tea plant, notable for its calming yet not sedative effects.

Thunder Dragon: Green tea made in central Bhutan; the first style to be exported from this region.

Tieguanyin: Ball-shaped oolong produced in the Anxi area of Fujian, China (and to a lesser extent in Taiwan). Historically it had more oxidation and strength; currently the style is lightly oxidized with a floral fragrance.

tippy: Denotes tea that contains white or golden tips, indicative of careful plucking; often high quality.

tisane: Infused beverage made from plants other than Camellia sinensis.

tuocha: Chinese for “bowl tea,” a common shape for pu-erh teas.

white tea: The least processed type of tea, native to Fujian Province, China, in which the leaves are withered and slowly dried.

withering: Natural process of moisture evaporating from recently plucked leaves, making them less brittle and more supple for further processing. Generally done by spreading leaves out, allowing air to pass over and through.

wo dui: “Moisten pile,” the process of adding additional moisture to pu-erh leaves in order to speed up fermentation. First attributed to the Kunming Tea Factory in Yunnan in 1973.

yabukita: Most common Camellia sinensis cultivar used for Japanese sencha.

yancha: “Cliff tea,” a heavily roasted style of twisted-leaf oolong produced in the Wuyi Mountains of Fujian Province, China; considered the first oolong ever made.

yellow tea: Type of tea, similar to green tea, in which oxidation is not completely halted; the leaves are finished over low charcoal heat. Historically produced in Anhui Province, China.

Yixing: Region of China noted for its purple clay, which produces distinctive, small, unglazed teapots often used for gong fu style service with a single type of tea.