Longleaf tea is made from whole leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant and is considered the best kind to drink due to its flavor. It can be purchased loose or in specially designed teabags. Longleaf tea is more expensive due to its delicacy. Other types of tea include white, green, black, and oolong. Longleaf tea can be mixed with other flavors or drunk on its own. It should be brewed carefully to avoid bitterness.
Longleaf tea is sometimes called whole leaf or pure tea, as it is made from whole leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, carefully handled to avoid breakage during processing and preparation. Tea aficionados argue that long-leaf tea is the best kind to drink, because it has the best flavor, with minimal tannins and other bitter flavors. Longleaf tea can be purchased loose in bags or bulk form, or in specially designed teabags that are made to accommodate the large, fragile tea leaves.
This type of tea tends to be more expensive than conventional teas because its delicacy requires more protection throughout the packaging and delivery process. Tea can come in a variety of forms, including white tea, which is exposed to minimal oxidation by being protected during the growing process and dried immediately, producing a delicate and complex cup that is easily overwhelmed by the addition of sugar and milk . This tea can also be lightly fermented, resulting in green tea, which is usually steamed and dried within two days of being picked. Black tea can be fully oxidized, with chlorophyll broken down and tannins released, before it is dried and packaged for distribution. Maturation of black tea can take up to two months. Oolong falls between black and green tea, generally aged about a week before drying and packing.
Longleaf tea is easily recognizable to the consumer, as the entire shape of the tealeaf can be seen, even though it may be wrinkled by the aging process. When the tea is brewed, however, the leaves unfurl until their entire shape is seen. Other types of tea, including most bagged teas, are made from scraps and cuttings and, as a result, sometimes have a bitter or unpleasant taste. For this reason, many tea drinkers prefer the pure taste of long leaf tea.
Longleaf tea can be mixed with flowers, herbs and roots for other flavored infusions, or it can be drunk on its own. The preferred method of making tea is to bring water to a boil and pour it over loose leaf tea in a pot, then strain to serve. Some tea bags and sachets may be able to handle long leaves safely, but caution is advised. Consumers who want to brew a fine-tasting, well-developed tea shouldn’t steep too much, as it may cause bitterness, but should rather adjust the amount of loose leaves used for flavor. Tea should never be steeped in hot water and microwave water is not recommended for tea.
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