The Unique Tastes of the Best Black Teas in the World

Where does the best loose-leaf black tea come from? Last week, we took you to China, Japan, and beyond to explore the best loose-leaf green teas in the world. This week, you’ll learn where the best black tea in the world comes from and how to make it. 

You will discover the best teaware for the purest and true-to-taste teas. Without it, you may only experience a fraction of the decadent flavors of these exceptional teas! 

But first, do you know what makes black tea so special? We think it’s incredible that every single type of tea comes from the same plant. Here’s what sets black tea apart from the rest.

What Makes Black Tea Different From Other Teas?

The best loose-leaf black tea is plucked by hand — usually two leaves and a bud — in tea gardens around the world. These young, small tea leaves are rolled and the cell walls are broken down. This creates a chemical reaction where enzymes and essential oils are released from the bruised leaves. 

The rolling helps darken the leaves from green to brown. But, the heavy oxidation step is what sets black tea apart from other teas transforming the leaves to a dark brown hue. the leaves are heated and dried which stops the oxidation process and locks in flavor. 

Thanks to the rolling and oxidation steps, black tea is usually higher in caffeine than white or green tea. The deep, dark flavors of the best loose-leaf black teas are splendid alone. Many black teas are delicious with milk, sugar, lemon, or other accouterments. 

We highly recommend seeking out high-quality and flavorful teas to enjoy on the daily. But, what makes a tremendous difference in the flavor of your tea is the teaware you use to make your tea.

Excellent Tea Taste Starts with Excellent Teaware

Even the best loose-leaf black tea will fall short if you make it in teaware that leaches unwanted flavor or chemicals into the water. You want to enjoy every note and nuance of your tea and taste its pure and full flavor. Making the best tea starts with choosing the right teaware. 

We recommend skipping porcelain and stoneware teapots that can leach those pesky additives into your tea. 

Small clay teapots are suitable for drinking only one single type of tea at a time. The flavors and oils absorb into the teapot which is intentional. You might not have the room — or patience — to accommodate for storage. 

Our favorite teaware material for the best black tea in the world is borosilicate glass. 

Borosilicate glass teaware is flavor-free and odor-free. This means you can make the best loose-leaf black tea without lingering smells or tastes. 

It’s also thermal temperature resistant. Use your teapot for both hot and cold drinks or flash-chill your hot tea to make iced tea. 

With borosilicate glass teaware, you can transfer your vessel from the stovetop to the microwave effortlessly. Or try moving it from the dishwasher and even the fridge or freezer without blinking for a completely shatter-free experience. 

Trust us — go with borosilicate glass. You’ll wish you used it sooner.

How to Steep Black Tea

Black tea may be one of the easiest kinds of tea to steep. Our average ratio is about one teaspoon of black tea leaves for every cup of hot water. If you like strong tea, add more tea leaves, but don’t steep it longer otherwise it might get bitter.

We’ve written a super detailed blog about how to make black tea including hot, iced, ice — yes, there’s a difference between ice and iced tea — and cold brew tea. Our new favorite method for chilled tea is the cold brew technique. It’s foolproof and makes the most outstanding refreshing tea with a full-bodied and rounded flavor. 

8 of the Best Black Teas in the World

Are you ready for our list of the best loose-leaf black teas? These teas are consistently sought out and beloved by tea connoisseurs. They are known for their exceptional quality, unique flavor profiles, and cultural significance. 

1. Darjeeling Tea

Darjeeling comes from West Bengal in India and is one of the best black teas in the world. It’s often called the “Champagne of Teas”. 

Similar to Champaign in France, Darjeeling teas are grown in a specific region of India — in the foothills of the Himalayas. It’s here that the soil and environment develop the tea’s unique flavor.

The flavor is like that of the muscat grape. There are notes of flowers and the essence of stone fruit. The mouthfeel is light with a finish that’s brisk. 

2. Assam Tea

Assam, like Darjeeling tea, is also grown in a specific region of India — Assam. The robust flavor and full-bodied character of this tea makes it one of the best loose-leaf black teas. 

It’s often used on its own or as a blend for the greatest breakfast teas in the world such as English Breakfast or Irish Breakfast. 

The climate of Assam is tropical and the tea plants are grown in rich soil. This helps define the distinct taste of the tea. The flavor is malty and bold with deep and rich notes of spices and chocolate.

3. Keemun Tea

Keemun is one of the best loose-leaf black teas and comes from China — the birthplace of all tea. It’s sourced specifically from the Anhui Province in Qimen Country and is a staple ingredient in blends of English Breakfast tea. 

The flavor is complex, aromatic, and highly sought after by tea connoisseurs. It’s one of the best black teas in the world and one of the most popular black teas in China. 

It has a smooth mouthfeel with decadent notes of cocoa, honey, and a slight hint of smoke. 

4. Ceylon Tea

This classic black tea is grown in many regions around Sri Lanka like Dimbula, Uva, and Nuwara Eliya. These tea gardens sit in higher elevations. The result is a crisp and refreshing flavor that’s signature for Ceylon Tea. 

Ceylon is brisk and bright with beautiful notes of citrus. There’s a balanced astringency to the tea and it’s known for being quite versatile. You can enjoy it straight on its own or with a splash of milk.

5. Lapsang Souchong

In the Wuyi Mountains of the Fujian Province, you can find Lapsang Souchong — one of China’s best loose-leaf black teas. This tea is known for its distinct smoky flavor. 

The unique taste and aroma come from drying the leaves over pinewood fire. The tea was invented by mistake. 

History states that the tea leaves were dried quickly over pinewood fires to make room for soldiers passing through the territory. The farmers still sold the tea leaves and were suprised that people took a liking to it. The smoking technique also helped preserve and dry out the tea leaves while traveling long distances for trade.

Today, there are places in Europe that ban this tea due to the carcinogenic properties of the smoking process. The tea is an acquired taste — some call it barbeque tea — with hints of sweetness amid heavy smoky and pine resin flavors and aromas. 

6. Yunnan Dian Hong

Dian Hong is grown in the Yunnan Province of China. It’s known for its high quality and is called Yunnan red tea. 

Highly aged and fermented pu-erh teas have a brown broth that looks much darker than Western black teas like English Breakfast or Darjeeling. In China, Western black tea is called “red tea”. The broth of breakfast teas and black teas are usually reddish in color compared to pu-erhs. 

Dian Hong is one of the best loose-leaf black teas due to its smooth mouthfeel. It’s sought after for its mellow and sweet flavor. The taste includes notes of caramel and honey with just a hint of spice.

7. Nilgiri Tea

This tea is grown in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu in India. The high altitude conditions allow the tea leaves to develop a clean, crisp, and bright flavor. 

It’s not a well-known tea to the masses, but it’s recognized for its clean and bright flavor, making it one of the best loose-leaf black teas. 

This black tea is medium-bodied and very fragrant. Floral flavors mix with fruity notes for a beautiful combination that’s satisfying on the palette. 

8. Golden Monkey

This incredible tea is grown in the famous Fujian Province of China. This premium tea is one of the best black teas in the world and what many people consider the taste of luxury. The golden tips give this tea a unique look that is visually appealing. 

Golden Monkey is one of the best loose-leaf black teas and a favorite tea among enthusiasts for good reason. The smooth and rich flavor has undertones of sweetness. There are hints of cocoa and malt with just a slight essence of fruitiness. 

Enjoy the Best Flavor with Quality Teaware

Which black tea do you want to try first? 

Taste the pure and precise profiles of the best tea with high-quality teaware designed to bring out exceptional flavor. Handcrafted borosilicate glass teaware is not only gorgeous, but highly functional and practical for tea, coffee, and so much more. 

Teabloom’s exclusive collection of thoughtful teaware sets and pieces are made with your health and your love of tea in mind. This is teaware that highlights every decadent note so you can enjoy the best loose-leaf black tea.

Explore superior teaware and elevate your everyday routine with Teabloom.

www.Teabloom.com