Which tea to choose? The guide to finding the one that suits you
By the LBDT Sommelier · published on · 4 min read
Reviewed and approved by the La Boutique du Thé team
Choosing a tea can seem daunting, so vast is the range: types, origins, flavours, formats. This guide brings together the pointers we give every day in our shops in Bordeaux and Nice. Type by type, moment by moment, taste by taste, you will know where to look, how to measure and what to give.
Green, black, oolong, white, smoked tea: what are the differences?
All teas come from the same shrub, Camellia sinensis. What sets them apart is how the leaf is processed, and above all its degree of oxidation. Green tea is not oxidised: the leaf is fixed by heat just after plucking, which preserves its fresh, vegetal notes, cut grass, green vegetables, sometimes marine in Japanese teas such as Ariake by Mariage Frères. Black tea is fully oxidised, not fermented, contrary to a widespread belief: it develops full-bodied liquors with hints of honey, ripe fruit or cocoa, which take a dash of milk well.
In between, oolong is partially oxidised: depending on the producer's craft, it leans towards floral, buttery notes or towards woody, roasted accents. White tea, simply withered and then dried, gives delicate, silky cups that call for a little care in preparation. Smoked tea, finally, is a black tea dried over a fire of resinous wood: its bold, fireside aromas appeal to lovers of character and pair happily with savoury dishes.
Which tea to drink in the morning, afternoon or evening?
Morning calls for bold teas that can stand up to breakfast. Black teas from Assam or Ceylon, or a blend such as French Breakfast by Mariage Frères, give a robust, comforting cup, with or without milk. A second flush Darjeeling, a summer harvest with rounder muscatel notes, will suit those who prefer an elegant liquor first thing.
Afternoon is the time for flavoured, gourmand teas: a Marco Polo with notes of fruit and flowers, a Wedding Impérial with hints of chocolate and caramel, or an Earl Grey with Calabrian bergamot make a lovely match for a pastry. In the evening, choose a cup low in caffeine, a briefly steeped white tea for example, or switch to rooibos, naturally caffeine-free, which suits the whole family.
How to choose a tea to suit your tastes?
Your tastes in food are a good starting point. If you love flowers, look to jasmine or rose teas, or naturally floral oolongs. If you prefer fruit, turn to blends with red berries or exotic fruits, while palates drawn to citrus will head straight for an Earl Grey, also available on green or white tea for a lighter version than the classic on black tea.
Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy notes of caramel, chocolate or almond, while lovers of deep, woody flavours will turn to a pu-erh, from the family of dark teas, the only truly fermented ones, or to a smoked tea. Tasting remains the best way to decide: a single type holds very different profiles from one garden to the next.
Loose leaf or cotton muslin tea sachet: which to choose?
Loose leaf offers freedom: you adjust the measure, 2 grams per 200 ml as a usual guide, you observe the leaf and you pay only for the tea. Kept in an airtight tin, away from light and odours, it stays fresh for several months. It is the format we recommend for grands crus as well as for everyday drinking.
The cotton muslin tea sachet has other strengths: it holds whole leaves, not dust, and slips into a cup at the office or when travelling without any accessory. The quality in the cup remains very close to loose leaf, as the muslin lets the leaf unfurl. Many of our customers use both, loose leaf at home and muslin on the go.
Which tea to give as a gift?
For a gift, a gift set is a safe choice: it offers a taste of several types or flavours with no risk of getting it wrong. A beautiful tin lends elegance to a tea of character, and a grand cru paired with its teapot will delight a seasoned connoisseur. If you do not know the recipient's tastes, a crowd-pleasing classic such as an Earl Grey or a Marco Polo almost always gives pleasure, at teatime as under the Christmas tree.
Where to find personal advice?
Nothing replaces a conversation with a professional. In our shops in Bordeaux and Nice, official Mariage Frères stockists since 1999, our teams let you smell the leaves, tell you about the gardens and tailor their suggestions to your habits: with or without milk, morning or evening, short or long steeping. From afar, the quiz on our website plays the same role. A few questions about your tastes and tea moments are enough to receive a tailored selection, which you will then find among our loose leaf teas, cotton muslin tea sachets and gift sets.
The sommelier's selection
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between green tea and black tea?
Both come from the same shrub, Camellia sinensis. Green tea is not oxidised: its leaf is fixed by heat just after plucking, hence its fresh, vegetal notes. Black tea is fully oxidised, which develops fuller aromas of ripe fruit, honey or cocoa. This is indeed oxidation, not fermentation, the latter being reserved for dark teas, including pu-erh.
Which tea to choose as a beginner?
Start with proven favourites: a flavoured black tea such as an earl grey or a Marco Polo, easy to prepare well and instantly appealing. Add a mild green tea to compare the two main families. An assortment gift set is also a good way in, since it lets you taste before choosing your everyday tea.
Which tea to drink in the evening?
In the evening, choose a cup low in caffeine, a delicate white tea for example. You can also switch to rooibos, naturally caffeine-free, which is prepared like a tea with water just off the boil. Herbal infusions and hibiscus are other caffeine-free options to end the day gently.
At what temperature should tea be steeped?
Each family has its own temperature: 60 to 70 degrees for Japanese greens, 70 to 80 for Chinese greens, 70 to 85 for whites, 85 to 95 for oolongs, 90 to 95 for blacks and around 95 for pu-erhs. Rooibos and herbal infusions take water just off the boil, from 90 to 100 degrees. Allow 2 grams of tea per 200 ml of water.
To go further
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