Reddit reviews Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties

I really like Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties. It's an overview focusing on the qualities of different kinds of tea and doesn't really focus too deeply on any one thing.

The Story of Tea is, from my readings, one of the most thorough and well-researched books on the subject. While it places a heavy emphasis on history and cultivation, it delves deep into specific growing regions, the teas they produce, and the tea cultures of those regions. My only gripe is that they didn't mention samovars in their brief section on Russian tea culture, but a) it's forgivable, and b) now you know.

For similar breadth but (slightly) less thoroughness, Tea is an excellent choice. In fact, this is the book that I would recommend to anyone starting their tea journey. Of course, you can always read both. ;)

Happy reading!

How deep do you want to go? On one end you have text books on tea production:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0412338505/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1397106420&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

On the other you have good survey style, coffee table books like:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1770853197/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1397106527&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40

This is another standard book:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/9789578962?pc_redir=1396503919&robot_redir=1

"The Classic of Tea" is an ancient Chinese book often cited. I'm not sure what translations are available:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Classic_of_Tea

Wikipedia also has a good list of classic tea literature:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_classics

This question has come up before so make side to search the sub so you can get all our previous discussions.

These books, because Amazon is that one up-and-coming online bookseller, right? ;)

Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties

Tea Wisdom: Inspirational Quotes and Quips About the World's Most Celebrated Beverage

Maybe get her a copy of [this book] (https://www.amazon.com/Tea-Terroirs-Varieties-Kevin-Gascoyne/dp/1770853197) instead. See if she expresses interest in something specific.

I really enjoyed and learned a lot from the book Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties.

Automod: activate!

Some websites/articles I've also found useful are World of Tea, articles by Max Falkowitz (the same guy who wrote The Non-Judgmental Guide to Tea, linked in the sidebar), and a bunch of tea blogs (there are other r/tea threads about those). I've also heard Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties is a good book to read, if you want something in your hands!

TeaForum is a good resource. And I highly recommend the book Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties by Kevin Gascoyne.

90% of tea is bad or mediocre and winds up in teabags. Maybe \<0.1% of the global harvest = the high-end stuff geared towards "enthusiasts." Online specialty vendors, usually based in the East, are your best bet. You won't find the very best teas in most tea houses, although there are certainly exceptions.

Here are a few of my favorites lately, I'd consider these among the best you can get of the varieties I lean to, which is Black, Darjeeling, and Green.

Yunnan Pure Gold, Teaspring (China, Black) - Peppery, leathery, malty, complex, sweet. Extremely high quality Dian Hong (black tea from Yunnan). Some Dianhong's have perfect beautiful gold leaf appearance but mediocre taste- this example has not hugely impressive leaf appearance but a sublime flavor profile.

Keemun Xian Zhen, Teaspring (China, Black) - Keemun is one of China's 'ten famous' tea's. This is one of the finest Keemuns available. Smooth, burgundy-wine-like, elegant flavor profile.

Halmari Gold Assam (India, Black) - Assam is India's largest tea-producing region, but makes mostly cheaper 'ctc' tea found in tea bags. This on the other hand is the cream of the crop, and to common ctc Assam as say a Chateau Lafite is to a Box of Gallo. Malty, smooth, complex, not harsh. This is the estate's direct retail site.

Cha Wang Huang Shan Mao Feng, Teaspring (China, Green) - Many would recommend Dragon Well (Long Jing) as the archetypal China Green for a newb to try, and that's all well and good if you can find it, but the best Dragon Well is extremely pricey and hard to procure. Due to the famous name, one is usually paying just for the name because the best is not commonly available retail. This on the other hand is one of my favorite China Greens I've had in the past few years. Succulent, notes of asparagus or artichoke.

Castleton Second Flush 2017, Vahdam (Darjeeling, Black) - Darjeeling has had some issues lately, but this is an archetypal 'muscatel' Second Flush Darjeeling. Fruity and complex.

Gopaldhara Wonder First Flush 2018, Vahdam (Darjeeling, First Flush 'black) - First Flush Spring Darjeelings are referred to as black, but they are not really fully oxidized, and perhaps closer to White or Oolong. Astringent, notes of melon. This was one of my favorites in 2017 and a daily drinker for me. Haven't tried the 2018 yet but I trust it is a good example, as this estate tends to be consistent.

Jin Guan Yin Golden Tie Guan Yin, Seven Cups (China Anxi Oolong) - I'm not an expert on Oolong, but I've had a fair amount over the years. Tie Guan Yin is a leaf varietal, and a very common item on a typical North American teahouse menu. This is an excellent example. Minerally and vegetal. Seven Cups is run by Austin Hodges, one of the original 'specialty tea' renaissance evangelists in the US and a respected figure in the industry.

And like coffee, preparation is key. It's really impossible to achieve consistent results without a scale and timer, and perhaps thermometer for green/white especially, which aren't to be steeped at boiling and can be fussy.

TLDR: Yes, I can tell a huge difference between Darjeeling and Assam, even between different grades of tea from the same garden- but I've been drinking quality tea for 12+ years now, and I especially like good Indian tea.


What are the specific teas in the sample box, what is the vendor, and how long have you been drinking loose-leaf tea?

Palate is like a muscle. I'd fail at telling a Burgundy from a Bordeaux (without some practice), because I don't have much wine experience. But science shows that, to use a term I really dislike, becoming a connoisseur of something (or say learning an instrument) even physically changes specific regions of one's brain.

I'd wager I could distinguish between any decent orthodox single-estate Assam and an equivalent grade Darjeeling, blindfolded, 999 times out of 1,000. I've had many thousands of cups, of hundreds of different examples of these over the years.

The two regions produce quite different product. Assam uses plants that are primarily C sinensis var assamica genetics, and Darjeeling mainly C sinensis var sinensis genetics, although this is an oversimplification. In any case, genetics, terroir (soil and climate), cultivation, and processing cause different regions to produce very different teas, esp to trained senses. The book Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties, by Kevin Gascoyne is a beautiful introduction to the topic.

Sure, https://www.reddit.com/r/tea/wiki/faq

The Story of Tea: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1580087450/

Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties https://www.amazon.com/dp/1770853197/

As for the relevance, your post states that Twinings is cheaper than Tazo, and I merely pointed out that a) that isn't necessarily true, and b) insistence upon the cheapest possible tea is arguably a bad thing.

Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties, I found it to be a great book. A little bit pricey but well worth it.

Hmmm this one is one of the better general topic books. This one looks like it might be ok. Haven't read that one yet though. I tend to look at the more terroir specific books lately if I'm looking for info on tea.

"Tea Terroirs" has been an amazing source of information for me, on nearly every area involving tea (http://www.amazon.com/Tea-Terroirs-Varieties-Kevin-Gascoyne/dp/1770853197/), including some studies the fellow did on caffiene content and anti-oxidant content.

You might also consider online classes with the Tea Association of Canada: http://teasommelier.com/. You don't have to follow through all of them but just a few might give you a variety of sources of information to draw from.

My sister bought me this book for Christmas. I've been taking it in slowly, as there is a ton of information in it, but anyways it is very good.