All true tea comes from the same plant — Camellia sinensis. What separates black from green from white is how the leaves are processed after harvest. Oxidation is the main variable. Herbal “teas” are a different story entirely.

Black Tea

Fully oxidized. Bold, robust flavor with notes of malt, earth, and sometimes fruit or chocolate depending on origin. The highest caffeine of any true tea. Handles milk well. Brews dark. This is the one most people picture when they think “tea.”

Green Tea

Minimal oxidation — leaves are steamed or pan-fired shortly after harvest to stop the process. The result is a lighter, grassier, more vegetal or floral flavor. More delicate than black. More sensitive to heat. Moderate caffeine.

White Tea

The least processed. Young leaves and buds, air-dried. Delicate, subtly sweet, with a light floral or fruity character. Low caffeine. Easiest to over-extract if you overshoot the temperature.

Oolong

Partially oxidized — somewhere between green and black. The flavor range is wide: lighter oolongs are floral and creamy, darker oolongs approach the richness of black tea. Moderate caffeine. Some of the most complex teas you'll find.

Pu-erh

Fermented and aged. Earthy, deep, sometimes described as mushroomy or woody. Unique among teas because it actually improves with age when stored properly. Often pressed into cakes. High caffeine. An acquired taste, but worth knowing.

Herbal (Tisanes)

Not technically tea — no Camellia sinensis. Infusions made from herbs, flowers, roots, and spices. Chamomile, peppermint, rooibos, hibiscus. Generally caffeine-free. Brew at full boil with longer steep time.

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