famille de thés - thés noirs
What is a black tea?

Black teas undergo a complete oxidation process. They are found in China, India, Sri Lanka and some countries in Africa. To obtain black tea, the leaves go through a withering process, where they lose most of their humidity. Then comes the shaping through which the enzyme responsible for the oxidation is freed and the leaves are spread in an environment kept at around 20 degrees Celsius. Oxidation is then stopped by heating (desiccation). When it is time for selection, Indian and Sri Lankan teas are classified by grade. The state of the leaf is evaluated: is it whole, broken, does it contain tips (pekoes)? This categorization determines quality of the tea, time of infusion required, and taste (strong or mild).