Aurora UK - Speciality Green Tea, Chinese Teas and Herbal Teas

Black tea constitutes by far the largest proportion of the total world tea production. It undergoes a full fermentation (oxidation), which turns the leaves black and gives the tea its rich taste. After picking the leaves are allowed to wither until they become soft enough to roll. Rolling breaks open the membranes containing the bitter juices, which then coat the leaves. The subsequent oxidation process mellows the juices and dries them on the surface of the leaves. The final step is to dry the tea in large ovens. During production many leaves are broken or fragmented. These must be sorted into full leaves, broken leaves and fragments (fannings) as they will require varying infusion times. Fannings are usually used in tea bags and the cheaper loose teas.

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Black Tea