The green ‘carpet’ is all tea! The leaves are handpicked to give the best flavor.
WHAT IS TEA?
Camellia Sinensis is the technical term for tea. Tea is a plant that can produce a dizzying array of colors and flavors; this is a specific plant, which means anything else brewed in water is not actually tea (chamomile, peppermint, ginger, etc. Flowers, herbs, roots and fruits are tinsanes, generally caffeine-free but none have the same composition nor benefits that tea has).
WHAT IS INDIAN TEA?
This quite simply means Camellia Sinensis plants grown in India. India has two technical varieties: Assamica and Chinery. They each have their own character and suited for different terroir, so this is one of the reasons the range of tea styles, colors and flavors is so fascinating. Tea in India is grown in the plains, hills and mountains in different parts of the country. See more about tea producing areas.
STYLES OF TEA
Black tea, green tea, oolong tea, white tea, pu-ehr and matcha all come from Camellia Sinensis leaves. All are the same raw material, but handled differently. Most tea is oxidized, or has oxidation halted with heat, not fermented.
TERROIR
Many factors go into the flavor of tea; tea grown in the mountains tastes radically different because of the altitude, type of soil, and other environmental factors - in addition to the variety. There are endless flavors to explore!