Black loose leaf tea is allowed to oxidize more completely than all other types of loose leaf tea. Black loose leaf tea usually offers the strongest flavors and range from sweet or fruity to malty and smokey. They also range from mellow all day drinkers to robust and full-bodied teas. Black teas are the only style of tea regularly consumed with milk and sugar (though some dark Oolong drinkers may disagree) and are the most popular bases for iced tea.
When compared to white teas and green teas, black teas are relatively new and can trace their beginnings back to the 18th century. Well known black tea origins include, Sri Lanka, or Ceylon, Chinese Keemun, Indian Assam and Darjeeling.
Our black loose leaf teas are carefully selected and hand-crafted by tea masters. We micro-blend and package small batches assuring you get the best loose leaf tea from each harvest.
Black teas taste best when brewed between 205° and 212° Fahrenheit. Our wide offering of unique black tea blends results in different optimal temperatures, so it’s best to experiment to find the best temperature range. As a general rule, black tea leaves should steep for at least 3-5 minutes and will grow stronger and more robust with each additional minute of steeping time. You can also refer to our packaging for specific brewing instructions to complement each tea. But most importantly, do what makes you happy!