Teas with floral flavors are some of the most popular on the market, and  dried flowers are often characterized as tea despite having no relation to the traditional Camellia sinensis tea plant. So it is easy to understand that teas described as “floral” bring to mind flowery tisanes or teas blended with dried blossoms, but many unblended teas have natural floral nuances with more depth than any blend can offer.

For many black tea devotees in the western world, it can be easy to forget that all tea begins as a leafy green plant. Though processing steps can make those leaves unrecognizable, the original form is recognizable in whole leaf teas, and especially in the vegetable-like, or “vegetal” flavor palate of lightly oxidized teas like greens, whites, and some oolongs. Just like fresh vegetables, the flavor notes found within these teas can be pleasant or unpleasant, depending on the terroir, harvest date, crafting style, and ultimately, how the tea is brewed, or “cooked” in hot water.

Oolong teas compose one of the most varied categories of tea because they cover the entire range of oxidation levels between green and black tea. Newcomers to this category might be surprised to find that two teas called “oolong” could be completely different in aroma, flavor, and even leaf shape. In fact, there are four main types of oolong, hailing from four geographically isolated regions near the eastern coast of China. Each region has its own unique terroir and specialized varieties of Camellia sinensis, but the easiest influence to observe in the final flavors of the tea is each region’s specific crafting style. And one aspect of the finished tea that gives us a clue to crafting style is leaf shape.

Since the early days of exported teas, fruit flavors imparted by blending or scenting have been a popular way to make low quality tea more palatable. Today, when we think of fruity teas, the flavor that comes to mind is intensely aromatic, often cloying, and framed against a backdrop of astringency and bitterness. Though chunks of dried fruit can give the impression of natural flavor, the taste of the brew disappears quickly, and somehow the aroma doesn’t quite seem to translate on the tongue.

On the other hand, teas that have a naturally fruity flavor profile will rarely smell overwhelming, or have the fragrance of a specific fruit, especially in dry form. Instead, the term “fruity” describes a nuanced aspect of the pure tea flavor. Traditional tea crafting can produce a range of flavors in the fruity flavor spectrum, from the rich sweetness of apricots to the crisp bite of citrus and the juicy texture of mango. Today, we’ll break down a few of the most popular flavor notes used to describe natural fruity nuances, and cover the traditional tea types that typically contain them.

Among the many factors that go into creating a particular tea, one of the most important is the variety of the tea plant being used. Just as a Granny Smith apple is quite different from a Fuji apple, different varieties of the Camellia sinensis plant can vary in leaf size, shape, and chemical composition, which affects which environments it grows well in, how the leaves are crafted into finished tea, and ultimately how the finished tea tastes. Unlike most other plants, however, varieties of the tea plant are often called ‘cultivars’. Today, we’ll break down what makes a cultivar distinct from a variety, and how they impact tea flavor.

Whether you’re making your own holiday wishlist or shopping for your favorite tea lover, we know the best gifts can make every day better. Here are six great gifts to enhance any tea drinker’s daily cup.

Many people look to tea's caffeine content to jump start their mornings, but others prefer to make tea a part of relaxing evenings. After all, is there anything more serene than curling up with a steaming mug of tea? Unfortunately, the same natural caffeine that makes tea energizing in the morning can also keep you up at night.

For some, the balancing effects of L-theanine are enough to make any tea relaxing, despite the caffeine. But for those who are sensitive to the stimulant, here are our top five teas with low (or no) caffeine - sure to be utterly relaxing in the evening.

With so many different tea styles and culturally distinct brewing customs from around the world, it can be difficult to know what equipment is best suited for making your favorite teas. In truth, most pots are capable of brewing almost any tea. But just as geographic isolation has led to the development of many different tea styles, it has also created parallel developments in teaware. Many teas are complemented by the teaware from nearby regions, where local tastes have refined teaware designs to best suit their most common teas.

Now that modern globalization has made these local specialties available around the world, the connections between tea and teaware are more obscure. Most important distinctions between brewing vessels can be boiled down to the size, material, and strainer type. With these factors in mind, here are our top teaware recommendations for each category of tea.