Black tea, also known as dark tea, is a kind of processed tannin, refined from the original green buds. The most popular types of black tea include India’s Darjeeling Tea and Assam Tea; China’s Yunnan Black Tea; Morocco’s Oolong Tea; Taiwan’s Black Dragon Well Tea and Tieguanyin Tea; Japan’s Genmaicha Matcha Rice Green Tea or Sencha Green Tea.

Black tea is made using the fermented leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Also, these same dried leaves and leaf buds can also be used to make green and oolong teas. Black tea contains between 2% to 4% caffeine, which has been shown to impact thinking and alertness. 

In addition, this tea contains antioxidants and other substances that might help protect the heart and blood vessels. When compared to green tea, black tea has different properties due to the fact that it is made from the fresh leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.

Types of Black Tea

There are two ways to produce black tea: fermentation and direct cooking. Fermentation produces a mellower flavour, while direct cooking gives the tea more strength and aroma. This section includes the diverse types of black tea. 

• Ceylon Black Tea – 

The first tea plants in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) were of the Chinese Sinensis variety, brought over by the British in 1824. By 1840, the British were importing Assam tea seeds to the island colony in great numbers. They were successful in their attempt to establish Ceylon as a major tea-producing country; by 1965, it was the world’s leading tea exporter. Ceylon black teas are full-bodied with citrusy flavours and subtle chocolate notes.

• Assam Black Tea – 

This tea is one of the popular types of tea and is mostly grown in the Assam region in India. The best Assam black tea is exuberantly fragrant but not overbearing. At first sip, you may notice astringent and tannic qualities. However, a rich aftertaste of creamy chocolate and roasted malt makes for a smooth finish.

• Taiwanese Bubble (or Pearl Milk Tea) – 

Taiwanese people love to pair black tea with condensed milk and tapioca pearls, fruit jelly, sago, grass jelly, or agar jelly. Nowadays, you can even find bubble tea blended with ice cream or tropical fruits. The great thing about bubble tea is that you can drink it hot or cold. The latest bubble tea trend? Tiger Sugar, made from cream, syrup, black tea, and brown sugar boba pearls!

• Darjeeling Black Tea – 

Grown exclusively in Darjeeling, India, this black tea is a must-try for any tea lover. It is one of the great types of black tea. First flush Darjeelings are especially prized for their freshness and fragrant aroma. Generally, there are 4 Darjeeling flushes: first (between February & May), second (between May & June), monsoon (July to September), and autumn (October to November).

Second flush Darjeeling black tea is widely praised for its unique full-bodied muscatel flavour, earning it the nickname “the Champagne of Tea.” Darjeeling is grown in the foothills of the Himalayas and is one of the most prestigious teas in the world.

• Earl Gray – 

Earl Gray tea is a popular black tea blend that is typically made with Assam or Darjeeling tea and infused with bergamot oil. Bergamot is a type of citrus fruit that is grown in southern Italy and is said to be a hybrid of bitter orange and lemon. Earl Gray teas often include vanilla as well, which gives the tea a natural sweetness and warmth. There are also variations of Earl Gray tea, such as French Earl Gray, which includes combinations of rose petals, calendula, hibiscus, or cornflowers. Meanwhile, Russian Earl Gray features lemongrass as its main aromatic ingredient.

Along with the above-listed varieties of tea, there are a lot more types of black tea available. It includes Kenyan Black Tea, Lapsang Souchong, Scottish, English, Or Irish Breakfast Tea. 

Uses of Black Tea

Though there are many types of tea available in the market. But including this tea in your diet can benefit your health in many ways. Here are some of the uses/benefits linked with black tea. 

• A lot of people use black tea as a way to improve their mental alertness.
• It is also used to soothe headaches and both low and high blood pressure. 
• In addition, this tea is also useful in preventing Parkinson disease, depression, stroke, and many other health problems. 
• Along with this, black tea is also good for better heart health and also helps in improving metabolism. 

The above are some of the uses associated with black tea. However, there is no scientific proof to support many of these uses. Don’t confuse this tea with other caffeine sources, including oolong tea, coffee, and green tea. These are not the same.

Last Few Words

When it comes to how many types of black tea are there, the list is quite long. By including this tea in your regular diet, you can lead a healthy lifestyle. Not only this, but it also helps combat and prevents some of the major health problems like depression, heart-related problems, blood pressure, and more. Therefore, you can get most of the benefits by adding this beverage to your daily diet.