True tea comes from a group of plants in the Camellia sinensis species.

The best way to think about what tea is is to consider the four factors that make up a particular tea’s identity: variety of tea leaf, provenance, harvest season and craftsmanship.

Variety. Camellia sinensis possesses two subspecies: Camellia sinensis var. sinensis and Camellia sinensis var. assamica. The sinensis subspecies grows exclusively in Eastern Asia (China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea), while the assamica subspecies is the type of tea cultivated throughout the rest of the world, though it is originally native to India. Collectively the two sub-species of camellia sinensis comprise over 2000 distinct tea cultivars.

Provenance. As is the case with wine or any agricultural product, the area in which a tea grows, or its terroir –the culmination of factors such as soil type, surrounding flora and fauna, elevation, and climate- impacts its quality and character. Even micro-climates and micro-terroirs –the particular amount of rainfall in a day or the particular side of the mountain the tea grows –can completely transform a tea’s flavor and aroma profile.

Certain varieties are indigenous to particular areas of Asia. Teas grown in their origin are most often considered to be superior to those transplanted to other regions –much of a tea’s distinctive character is a result of its terroir.

Harvest Season. When a tea is harvested also has an effect on the tea’s flavor profile. There is no one ideal harvesting season. Tea is a perennial plant, sprouting new leaves throughout the year. However, most tea plants become dormant during the colder months. The first harvest of a tea usually occurs following this dormant period and generally produces the best quality leaves and buds in comparison to subsequent harvests. Though the first harvest often takes place in Spring, it can take place during other seasons, depending on the variety of tea and where it’s grown. Each type of tea has one or two peak harvest times.

Crafting. A tea’s varietal, provenance and time of harvest will without a doubt determine the quality of its leaf and underlying character. Still, it’s only just a leaf. In the hands of the tea craftsman, tea leaves can be transformed into a range of flavor and aromatic characteristics. Craftsmanship creates a tea’s final expression.

Crafting refers to everything that involves processing fresh leaves and turning those leaves into a finished tea. When we refer to some of the major tea types, such as green, black or oolong teas, what we are referring to is how the leaf is processed after harvest.

These distinctions in type are primarily a result of the degree of oxidation that the tea leaf is allowed to undergo. Exposure of the raw leaf to oxygen activates polyphenol oxidase, an enzyme which works to darken the leaf’s appearance to red and brown and deepen its flavor. This enzyme is already present in the tea leaf and most plant substances –it is the same compound that causes the flesh of an avocado to brown after it is sliced.

Tea makers encourage and control oxidation by bruising, rolling or chopping the leaves. Any sort of application of heat stops enzymatic breakdown, whether it be by wok-firing, roasting, or steaming. This step also contributes heavily to a tea’s character. Each tea producing region will have different styles of finishing the different varieties of tea it produces.