Twinings

There are four main types of tea - Black Tea, Green Tea, Oolong Tea and White Tea. There are also non-traditional teas known as Fruit and Herbal Infusions.
	Black Tea All teas are 'plucked' and the tea pluckers select the new shoots, typically the first two leaves and a bud. Tea pluckers recognise the exact moment the tea should be removed from the bush to ensure only the tender leaves are used to produce the finest tea.
	Green Tea Green tea goes through a slightly different process to black tea. Depending on the type of green tea, the leaves may or may not be withered. The tea is then either steamed or pan-fired to stop the oxidation process. The leaves are then rolled and fired. The colour of green tea is retained as the heating process stops any chemical reaction with oxygen (oxidation) preserving its greenness.
	Oolong Oolong tea is semi-oxidised and therefore falls between black and green tea. There are many types of Oolong tea, ranging from very light, fragrant teas to dark coppery teas with the taste of burnt caramel. The leaves are wilted and are then shaken in baskets to lightly bruise the edges and left only until oxidisation has set in along the leaves’ outer edges.
	White Tea White teas are rarer than other teas and can only be plucked once a year. These teas are produced using only the first bud and top leaf from the new season’s tea bush. The tea is withered and then dried. White tea got its name due to the fine white downy hairs that covers the first bud. These teas are very pale in colour, light and delicate in taste.
	Infusions There are also other types of non-traditional teas known as Fruit and Herbal Infusions. Herbal infusions are produced from plants, fruits and spices which do not originate from the tea plant Camellia sinensis but are infused using boiling water. There is a huge selection of plants such as Camomile, Peppermint, Linden, Hibiscus and Rooibos to choose from that can be blended together to give a delicious alternative to other beverages. Twinings sources over 100 different ingredients from around the world.
	The process of manufacture is different for infusions than that of tea. For example, Camomile and Peppermint leaves are placed in the sun to dry and then cut, cleaned, sieved, blended and steam treated to the requirements of the buyer.

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