Black Tea

The most consumed tea in the West

Black tea is made from tea tree leaves that have undergone complete oxidation. In the Chinese world, black tea is also called "red tea" because of its copper colour after infusion. Not to be confused with rooibos which is also commonly called "red tea" although this is prohibited by law.

The majority of teas consumed in the West are black teas. This is mainly due to the fact that black tea keeps much longer than green tea and is therefore more easily transportable and marketable.

The different types of black teas

Plain black teas are distinguished from each other by their origin and by their rich taste. The quality of the leaf as well as its appearance (whole leaf, broken leaf, crushed leaf) also contribute to the taste and balance of the drink. Among the most popular black teas are:

- Breakfast: Breakfast tea is a very popular black tea consumed in England. It is a blend of black teas, with full-bodied and structured notes, the success of which depends on the choice of the different teas that compose it.

- Darjeeling: Darjeeling tea is considered the most popular tea. It comes from Darjeeling and its region in West Bengal, India.

- Afternoon: Afternoon teas are blends of black teas that are best enjoyed in the afternoon, during the traditional Tea Time.

Black teas can also be flavoured with citrus, fruit, spices, or herbs. We also find the famous Christmas tea with notes of spices and citrus fruits which is very consumed in winter.

Quality tea from the major tea houses

Among our selection of teas, discover the best black teas from the great Irish tea houses such as Barry’s Tea and Bewley’s. Irish tea is a tradition and Ireland has always been one of the countries with the highest per capita tea consumption in the world.

Nearby, in England, the Whittard of Chelsea and Hamstead Tea tea houses offer high quality black tea blends. Today, tea is a pillar of British society: the English drink it all day long.

As for French teas, find the subtle blends of Dammann Frères house or The Tea, a range developed by Le Comptoir Irlandais.