Green Tea
Green tea, once exclusively the preserve of China, is now grown in both Japan and, to a lesser extent, the Darjeeling province of India. Once harvested, green tea goes through a three stage processing; firing, rolling & drying.
Green Tea – Processing Method
Firing
In order to kill the enzyme that causes oxidation the tea leaves are exposed for a short period to heat in excess of 100°C. Firing is either carried out in a heat revolving drum or, more traditionally, can be carried out in a large wok placed directly onto a flame.
Rolling
As simple as it sounds, this process involves rolling the freshly fired tea leaves to reduce them in size. Rolling can be carried out in a number of different traditional ways
Gunpowder – The leaves are rolled manually into small round pellets, just like the old gunpowder pellets.
Long Ching (‘Dragon Well’) – Leaves are flattened out lengthways.
Chun Mee (‘Old Man’s Eyebrows’) – Leaves are twisted lengthways, hence the name.
Drying
After rolling has taken place the leaves then undergo a further dehydration process to ensure their conservation. Leaves are then generally dried in wicker dryers around which hot air is circulated. Once the drying process is complete the leaves are then graded before being packed.
Our Delicious 18 Green Teas
Our comprehensive range of 18 green teas offers something for everyone from pure green teas such as the delicately tasting Tie Guan Yin to our big and bold Extra Green Detox with hints of ginger & peppermint. We also offer a range of exclusive and highly sought after Japanese green teas – Genmaicha Miyazaki, Sencha & Gyokuro.