China is the spiritual home of tea, and green tea is its most quintessential variety. According to legend, the Chinese tea shrub (Thea Sinensis) was first discovered around 2,700 BC. Today, China is the world's biggest tea producing country and its countless teas are mainly cultivated in the south eastern provinces. Green tea is made from the unfermented leaves of the tea plant and does not undergo the fermentation process used in black tea production. Instead, the leaves are steamed or roasted after withering, destroying the enzymes and tannins which cause oxidation. This keeps the leaves olive-green. As well as producing a delicate, refreshing cup, green tea contains high quantities of antioxidants and flavonoids and is therefore prized for its health benefits.
Unlike teas produced in the Indian sub-continent, which are usually named after tea gardens and regions (Darjeeling Margaret's Hope or Ceylon Kenilworth, for example), Chinese teas tend to be given more creative names often inspired by the tea itself, such as Dragon Phoenix Pearls and White Monkey. We stock some of the finest examples of green tea that China has to offer.