As explained in our Tea Primer and our post on Black tea, Green tea is also made from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant, just like other types of tea. It looks and tastes very different, though. In this post, we will learn why and how to find a green tea that you love.
Most of the processing steps for green tea are similar to those for other teas. That includes:
- Plucking/picking the tea leaves
- Withering/dehydrating the tea leaves
- Rolling/shaping the tea leaves
- Final drying of the tea leaves
How Green Tea Is Made: The Role of Oxidation
One step that is missing from this list is Oxidation. This is the hallmark characteristic of black teas and what makes them dark in color, aroma and flavor. Green tea, on the other hand, does not undergo any oxidation. These teas are, therefore, considered Unoxidized.
Because the enzymes responsible for oxidation are present in all tea leaves, green tea makers must take steps to inactivate them and thereby prevent oxidation. This is done by applying heat. There are two basic methods to achieve this.
Chinese Method: Pan-Firing
This method involves the application of dry heat to the leaves, often called pan-firing.
Japanese Method: Steam Heat
- In contrast, this method relies upon steam heat to inactivate the enzymes.
- Steam heat also makes other changes that result in tea that is greener in color and flavor.
- This is one reason why Japanese green teas are often felt to taste more like spinach or seaweed than Chinese green teas.
Japanese green tea differentiates itself in another way. Their teas are either grown in open fields with full sunlight or shaded for a period.
Full sun - This is the majority of Japanese green teas, including Sencha, Bancha and Hojicha.
Shade-grown teas include Matcha and Gyokuro.
- Being exposed to less sunlight causes some chemical changes. It reduces the rate of photosynthesis and forces the plants to produce a higher concentration of chlorophyll. This results in decreased levels of compounds called polyphenols and increased levels of caffeine.
- At the same time, the amount of theanine produced increases. This amino acid promotes a sense of calm and mitigates the stimulating effects of caffeine. The lower polyphenols mean less astringency, but the increased caffeine can cause bitterness.
- All of this means that the flavor profiles of shade-grown teas are unique and different from those grown in the sun. They are considered more full-bodied with an umami-rich flavor.
Green Tea by Origin
Although China and Japan are the two main growing regions for green tea, other countries also produce it. Before purchasing, note the origin of the tea.
China
The names of Chinese green teas might be related to the growing region, the shape of the tea leaf or even a Chinese legend.
Dragonwell
- This is one of our most popular Chinese green teas and is often #1 on the list of China's most famous teas. It is said to be the most frequently copied tea. Therefore, much of the Dragonwell on the market may not originate from the traditional place of origin.
- Other names include Lung Ching, Longjing, Long Jing Shi Feng and Dragon's Well.
- One of the most popular explanations of the name is that during a severe drought around 250 AD, a Taoist priest told desperate farmers they could end it by praying to the dragon who lived in a nearby well. When the rains came, the well became famous. The Dragonwell monastery still stands next to the well. Visitors are shown that swirling their hands in the pool of water creates a dragon-like appearance that then disappears. This is thought to be because the groundwater in the underground well is denser than the rainwater at the surface. Stirring the waters creates an unusual twisting effect that looks like a dragon as the denser water sinks again.
- It has a sweet and slightly flowery flavor.
Gunpowder
- This name comes from the tea's appearance, in that the leaves have been rolled to look like gunpowder pellets.
- It is sometimes called Green Pearl tea, again due to its shape.
- It has a somewhat smoky flavor as compared to other green teas.
For a scented option, our Jasmine Green Tea layers delicate floral notes over a smooth green tea base.
Japan
- This means "infused tea" and is 80% of Japan's production.
- Shinryoku (fresh green) is our premium sencha from the first harvest of the season. It is grown at a high elevation in the prestigious tea region of Honyama, Shizuoka. It is a tea that is well balanced between flavor and body, with a natural sweetness.
- An interesting tea that is a blend of Bancha with roasted brown rice.
- Bancha is similar to sencha but a much lower grade of tea that is made either from stiff leaves of old growth harvested during the 2nd and 3rd crops in summer and autumn, or from coarser leaves separated out as a byproduct of the sencha tea production.
- It is said to have been developed during WWII as tea supplies dwindled and housewives looked for ways to stretch their remaining tea. Brown rice was roasted and added to the green tea leaves.
Gyokuro -- also known as Precious Dew or Jade Dew
- Soon after the first new shoots appear on the tea bushes in early April, the entire crop of Gyokuro is covered with canopies and surrounded by curtains to obstruct about 90% of the sunlight.
- It is harvested only once a year in early spring.
- It is considered to be the highest grade of Japanese tea.
- The flavor profile is a naturally sweet umami taste with little bitterness. However, this can vary between very sweet or bitter depending on how you brew it.
- Good quality Gyokuro will have a taste and aroma of seaweed.
India
Darjeeling tea is grown in the Darjeeling region of India. Although we typically associate the name Darjeeling with black tea, it does not have to be. As explained in our Tea Primer, the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant can be made into any type of tea depending on the processing method. Therefore, you may come across a green Darjeeling.
So whether you're drawn to the sweet, flowery notes of Chinese Dragonwell, the umami-rich depth of shade-grown Japanese Gyokuro, or the unique smokiness of Gunpowder, there's a green tea out there perfectly suited to your taste. The beauty of green tea lies in its incredible diversity—from pan-fired Chinese varieties to steamed Japanese greens, from sun-drenched Sencha fields to precious shade-covered Gyokuro leaves. Now that you understand what makes green tea special (that crucial lack of oxidation) and how processing methods shape flavor, you're ready to explore and find your personal favorite. Skip the generic grocery store options and seek out teas with clear origin labels, whether from China's legendary wells, Japan's prestigious Shizuoka region, or even India's Darjeeling hills. Your perfect cup of the world's original tea is waiting—what will you discover first? Explore our premium green tea collection and find your perfect cup.