For tea, just as with other commodities like wine, whiskey, or coffee, the most coveted examples are usually the rarest. The allure of any batch that is difficult to find lies in unique flavor complexities, as well as the ever-present draw of exclusivity. In the same way that wine connoisseurs might search for bottles from a legendary vineyard, tea devotees hunt for the leaves from hard-to-find tea trees.

Teas harvested from wild trees, for example, are highly sought after. Most of the hype surrounds pu-erh teas, grown in Yunnan Province in southern China, where ancient tea trees are thought to have originated in the vast, tropical forest of millennia past. But many teas from all over China are sold as “wild” teas, and as with any widespread label, this term can carry a few different meanings. Here are three different types of tea plants that are commonly called "wild".

Commodity products, including tea, have come under increased scrutiny during the past few decades for the exploitative labor practices often used in production. Understandable consumer concerns have led to the development and success of several fair trade certification programs, which seek to increase equity in international trade by encouraging dialogue and transparency in the sourcing process. These are undeniably noble and worthwhile goals, and the movement has seen great success in improving wages and working conditions for laborers, especially in industries like coffee and cocoa.

Many people start drinking tea for the health benefits provided by antioxidants from the Camellia sinensis plant. Study after study has proven the positive effects of regular tea consumption, and makers of mass produced teas are eager to market this selling point. Unfortunately, not all teas are created equal, and marketers often take advantage of tea’s healthy reputation to sell sub-par products. Bottled iced teas, popular for their grab-and-go convenience, are some of the worst offenders, with research showing that they rarely live up to the health hype.

In the Phoenix Mountains of northern Guangdong, tea cultivation is a tradition dating back hundreds of years. Unlike other tea-growing areas, tea plants are not pruned into bushes or regularly replanted to increase crop yields. Instead, the plants are allowed to grow into full-sized trees, which are typically not considered mature until they are at least 60 years old. Over time, tea farmers in this area have cultivated a range of local tea plant varieties, using cuttings and grafting to preserve and curate specific fragrances from each plant. As a result of these traditional growing methods, Phoenix oolongs are one of the most intense, flavorful, and varied categories of tea in China.

Learn more about the four types of Oolong tea >>

These oolongs are often called dan cong in Chinese, which references the unique growing methods used. As with many other Chinese tea terms, however, translations are often imperfect. Today, with these teas gaining popularity in the international market, there is plenty of disagreement about what makes a “real” dan cong. Though it may seem like every vendor has a different definition, there are three main ways this name can be interpreted.

As drinkers of wine and coffee may already know, the terroir (or provenance) of any given crop has a major impact on flavor. Borrowed from the world of wine, terroir is a French word, which primarily describes the environmental factors of a region. The components of the soil, the altitude, temperature, and levels of precipitation in the growing region can all influence the flavor of the finished product, whether that is wine grapes, coffee beans, or tea leaves.

Terroir also encompasses regionally-specific growing methods, such as traditional harvest dates or standards of plucking and pruning. In the context of black tea, which is now grown on almost every continent, these variables cover considerable range, and produce a huge variety of unique styles. While worldwide production falls outside the scope of our expertise here at Red Blossom, China’s vast borders include several distinct regions that produce unique black tea styles, and offer a snapshot of the ways in which terroir can influence black tea flavor.

The harvest date of a tea is one of the four main components of any tea’s identity, influencing the final flavor profile and often determining the level of quality. In many regions, tea is harvested all year round, but the differences between harvest seasons can be so great as to make a completely different tea. On the other hand, the growing conditions required for many premium teas limit output to just one or two harvests per year.

Regular readers and tea aficionados may know that spring harvested teas are often desirable for their naturally sweet flavors, but not all tea styles prioritize sweetness. Each tea has a unique set of standards for judging quality, and each has a distinct harvest season with ideal conditions for meeting those standards. Here, we’ll offer a quick overview of the teas and characteristics to expect from each harvest season.

The British and American concept of ‘Breakfast Tea’ is said to stem originally from a marketing strategy: advertising a new blend of black teas designed as an alternative to established "afternoon" tea brands. Practically, of course, there was little difference between the two styles, but Breakfast Tea has nevertheless become one of the most familiar types of black tea in the west, and is now drunk at all times of the day, all over the world.

But Breakfast Teas are also a product of industrialization: a mix of black tea leaves from colonial-style plantations, carefully blended for consistent flavor and shipped in masse to a grocery store near you. As with other mass produced teas, they often fail to deliver on flavor, and instead offer potent bitterness with a side of astringency. These shortcomings are typically remedied with milk, sugar, spices, or even artificial flavorings. Is there a better option?

Even though all teas come from the same species of plant, cultures around the world have developed many different ways of cultivating, crafting, and talking about tea. Often, the terms used to indicate grades or quality in one region are not applicable to teas grown in other countries, or even neighboring areas.