The world's top ten famous teas are Indian Masala Chai, Genmaicha, Earl Grey, Matcha, Tieguanyin, Pu'er tea, Chamomile Tea, Rooibos Tea, Lapsang Souchong, White Tea, and others.
Each of the world's top ten famous teas has its own characteristics:
1. Indian Masala Chai: This is a daily necessity in Indian life. The spices added when making masala chai in India also vary depending on the region or personal preference. Basically, Indian masala chai is composed of four ingredients: strong black tea, milk, various spices, and sugar or honey. Among them, cloves, ginger, pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon are the most commonly used spices.
2. Genmaicha: Genmaicha is a Japanese and Korean-style green tea beverage. Genmaicha is highly distinctive: it has the faint, elegant fragrance of traditional Japanese green tea and contains the special roasted aroma of toasted rice; the aromas of tea and rice blend organically. Whether in terms of taste, aroma, or nutritional value, it greatly surpasses traditional green tea drinks. It is tranquil and elegant, warm and mellow. Precisely because of this, in the fast-paced modern life, Genmaicha is extremely popular among office workers in Japan and South Korea.
3. Earl Grey Tea: Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, served as British Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834. He was a great reformer, and this world-famous blended flavored tea is named after him. It is said that this type of blended flavored tea originated in China and was given to Earl Grey as a reciprocal gift by a Chinese person during the Qing Dynasty. Bergamot oil is a flavoring agent used in Earl Grey tea. Bergamot oil comes from the peel of the bergamot orange, which is now widely grown in southern Italy, but its origins are in Vietnam and southern China.
4. Matcha: "Endless azure clouds drawn by the wind, white flowers floating with light condense on the bowl's surface." This is the praise for Matcha by the Tang Dynasty poet Lu Tong, describing and praising the shape and color of Matcha foam in the verse. Matcha has high requirements for craftsmanship and raw materials. Chinese Matcha, which entered Japan with Japanese envoys to the Tang Dynasty in the late 9th century, was carried forward and greatly developed in Japan. Today, the most influential Japanese tea ceremonies for Matcha are the "Omotesenke" and "Urasenke" schools, which are extremely widespread and popular throughout the country.
5. Tieguanyin: One of China's top ten famous teas and a representative of oolong tea. It falls between green tea and black tea, belonging to the semi-fermented tea category. In the 1970s, Japan experienced a "Oolong tea boom," which subsequently swept the globe. Today, drinking premium Tieguanyin for afternoon tea has become a symbol of high-quality life in Europe and America.
6. Pu'er: The attention paid to Pu'er seems to extend beyond the scope of tea itself—culture, health benefits, collection, appreciation... Pu'er carries too many burdens. Holding a cup of hot Pu'er under the nose, the aged aroma rushes forth like a spring, its elegant and refreshing feeling no less than that of orchids or chrysanthemums. Sipping it, although slightly bitter, when the tea lingers between the throat and tongue, one can feel it penetrating the teeth, seeping into the gums, and a sweet fluid generated from the root of the tongue returns to the surface. At this moment, the mouth is full of fragrance, sweet dew promotes salivation, refreshing the mind and spirit. This is the true charm of Pu'er.
7. Chamomile Tea: Originating from Europe, West Asia, and North Africa, chamomile is well-known locally for its powerful health benefits, making it one of the most common herbal teas in European and American households. The golden tea, with its strong sweetness accompanied by a unique bitterness, can be enjoyed with honey, fresh milk, or cinnamon. It is fragrant and delicious both warm and iced. It can relax nerves, aid digestion after meals, and regular drinking also helps improve eyesight, nourish the liver, and lower blood pressure. Its functions are vast, no wonder it is also known as the "doctor's herbal tea." However, due to its significant sleep-inducing properties, it is not suitable for drinking in the morning.
8. Rooibos Tea: Also called Red Bush Tea, this is a tea processed from a South African leguminous plant. Rooibos tea is known as Africa's most popular beverage due to its rare, deep aroma and rich taste. Rooibos tea can be enjoyed in various ways: hot, cold, plain, sweetened, or with milk added. Rooibos tea contains higher levels of antioxidants and phenolic compounds than ordinary tea leaves. However, it contains no caffeine and has very low tannin content.
9. Lapsang Souchong: The finished tea, after careful picking and processing, has stout, tightly curled, straight strips with a dark, moist color. After brewing, the tea soup is a bright red color, enduring through multiple infusions, with a mellow, thick taste reminiscent of longan soup, and a strong, fragrant aroma. Its main quality characteristics are its rich smoky fragrance and flavors of longan and dried honey dates. If milk is added, the tea aroma remains undiminished, forming a syrupy milk tea that is sweet, refreshing, and uniquely flavored. Lapsang Souchong black tea pairs very well with curry and meat dishes. A Japanese tea master once said: This is a tea that clearly divides love and hate; once you like it, you will never give it up.
10. White Tea: One of China's top ten famous teas. White tea leaves consist of two leaves with a bud in between. The leaves are slightly raised in wavy shapes, tender and plump, with edges slightly curled downward. The back of the leaves is covered with fine white hairs. After brewing, the green leaves set off the tender buds, beautifully shaped like peony buds beginning to bloom, serene and elegant. The tea soup is clear and apricot-yellow in color, with a fresh, sweet, and mellow taste.