Victorias Teas & Coffees

Tea Types

Tea comes from the plant Camellia sinensis, a warm-weather evergreen and is grown around the world in thousands of estates or tea gardens, resulting in thousands of flavorful variations. Like wines, many teas take their names from the district in which they are grown, and each district is known for producing teas with unique flavor and character.

While there are more than 1500 varieties of tea available worldwide, all teas can be divided into three basic types: black, green and oolong. The way the fresh tea leaves are processed and their level of contact with oxygen determine the types of tea. During oxidation, the tea leaves experience natural chemical reactions that result in distinctive taste and colour characteristics.

Herbal teas do not come from Camellia sinensis, but are an infusion of leaves, roots, bark, seeds or flowers of other plants.

The four basic tea types include:

Black Tea
Most commonly used in North American tea bags, black tea is made from fully oxidized leaves, which produce a hearty deep rich flavour in a coloured amber brew. Popular black teas include: Assam, Ceylon, Darjeeling, Earl Grey, Keemun, Lapsang Souchong, Sikkim, Yunnan, and popular blends such as English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast and Russian Caravan.

Green Tea
Most popular in Asia, green tea is not oxidized. It is withered, immediately steamed or heated to prevent oxidation and then rolled and dried. It has a delicate taste, light green colour and is very refreshing. Varieties of green tea include: Gunpowder, Dragon Well, Jasmine, Sencha Dancha, Hojicha, Genmaicha, Gyokuro, Spider Leg, Mattcha, and Tencha.

Oolong Tea
The name oolong literally translates as “Black Dragon” and is very popular in China. Oolong teas feature partly oxidized leaves and combine the taste and colour qualities of black and green tea. Extremely flavourful and highly aromatic, oolong teas are consumed without milk and sugar. Varieties of oolong tea include: Formosa Oolong, Ti Kuan Yin, Pu-erh, Formosa Pouchong, and Black Dragon.

White Tea
White Tea is made entirely from leaf buds that are covered with whitish hairs. The new budds are plucked before they open,  withered, then dired slowly at low temperatures. Unlike other tea processing methods, the leaf buds are not rolled and slightly oxidized. The result is a tea with a mild flavour and natural sweetness. 

Other Categories Include:

Rooibos
Rooibos (pronounced ROY-BOSS) comes from the Cedarberg region of South Africa. It is a naturally caffeine free herbal, low in tannins and significantly higher in polyphenol antioxidants. Although Rooibos is fairly new to North America, it has been consumed in South Africa for generations. It is noted for its strong health benefits in aiding digestion, calming the nerves, building the immune system, and may offer protection from heart disease. Many people simply enjoy Rooibos for its great full bodied taste and beautiful red cup.

Herbal Teas
Full of goodness and natural remedies, herbal teas or tisanes are made from flowers, leaves, roots, berries and seeds from edible plants. Technically not a tea because they do not derive from the Camellia sinensis plant, they make a satisfying cup that is beneficial to your health and well being. Herbal teas provide a great way to balance out your day.

Wellness Teas
Wellness Teas are infusions made with herbs, flowers, roots, spices or other parts of plants. Since herbal infusions do not contain tea leaves, they are generally caffeine free. Some view herbal products as natural remedies for the treatment of varied disorders and illness. Self-prescribed herbal preparations are widely used for a whole host of common conditions including insomnia, arthritis, colds, coughs, ulcers, allergies, constipation, infections, high blood pressure, intestinal disorders, headaches, fever, anemia, weakness, aging, stress, nervousness, and indigestion.

Mate
Also known as Paraguay tea and yerba mate; mate is an herb prepared from the leaves of a South America evergreen shrub, Illex paraguayensis, a relative of the common holly. The leaves are oval and about 6 inches long. Flowers of the plant are small and white. The fruit appears in small clusters of tiny red berries growing close to the stems of the plant. Like guarana and yopo, mate is rich in caffeine and was used as a caffeine beverage source by the native population of Latin America centuries before the European settlers arrived to establish coffee plantations

Yerba Mate is an all natural stimulant, which allows you to feel energized without having the side effects and toxicity of coffee. Unlike coffee, Mate is a great natural source of nutrition as it is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and amino acids, which make it ideal for those trying to promote and maintain optimum health. In fact  Mate has more antioxidant power and is higher in polyphenols than tea, which both helps the body’s immune system and protects your body from various diseases. With 52 more active compounds than Green Tea, Mate is praised as an all natural health booster. It is also believed to detoxify the body, reduce blood pressure, tone the nervous system, slow the again process and reduce fever. Not only does Mate keep your mind alert and your body healthy, it also acts as an appetite suppressor, making it an ideal addition to any weight loss program. Mate invigorates the mind, body and soul, promoting an overall feeling of well-being.