— Reference
Tea, in plain language.
Orthodox or CTC? First flush or autumn? Green tea or oolong? A short, hand-written glossary for anyone learning loose-leaf tea, Bangladeshi tea culture and premium tea categories.
— Process
Orthodox tea
Orthodox tea is whole-leaf tea processed in the traditional way — withered, rolled, oxidised and dried so the leaf stays largely intact and unfolds in the cup.
CTC tea
CTC stands for Crush-Tear-Curl, a black-tea process that shreds the leaf into small uniform pellets, brewing quickly into a strong, dark, malty cup made for milk.
Oxidation
Oxidation is the chemical browning of crushed tea leaves — the single step that turns a green leaf into white, oolong or black tea.
— Flush
First flush
First flush is the season's earliest harvest, picked just after the dormant winter — a bright, light, floral cup that disappears within weeks of arriving.
Second flush
Second flush is the late-spring to early-summer harvest, fuller-bodied than first flush with deeper colour and the famous muscatel character in well-known gardens.
Autumn flush
Autumn flush is the last harvest of the year, picked in October–November — a softer, woodier, lower-caffeine cup with a mellow finish.
— Type
Matcha
Matcha is a premium powdered green tea prepared by whisking finely ground tea leaves into water, creating a rich and vibrant cup.
CTC Black Tea
CTC Black Tea is the most widely consumed tea style in Bangladesh, producing a strong, brisk and malty cup ideal for milk tea.
Bangladesh Green Tea
Bangladesh Green Tea is minimally oxidised tea from Panchagarh and northern tea gardens, known for its fresh aroma, grassy character and natural antioxidants.
Orthodox
Orthodox Tea is traditionally processed whole-leaf tea where the leaves are carefully withered, rolled, oxidised and dried while preserving leaf integrity.
Oolong Tea
Oolong Tea is a partially oxidised tea that sits between green tea and black tea, offering floral, fruity, honey-like and roasted flavour profiles.
Black Tea
Black Tea is fully oxidised tea known for its rich colour, bold flavour and strong aroma, making it one of the most popular tea styles worldwide.
Oolong tea
Oolong is partially oxidised tea, sitting between green and black — light and floral at one end, dark and roasted at the other.
White tea
White tea is the least processed tea — buds and young leaves simply withered and dried, giving a pale, gently floral and naturally sweet cup.
Herbal tea
Herbal tea (tisane) is an infusion of plants other than the tea bush — chamomile, mint, hibiscus, ginger, lemongrass — and contains no caffeine.
— Origin
