Green Tea: Just the Facts, Ma’am, Pure and Simple

The mystical tea terraces of China and Japan are part of what gives green tea its aura of mystery and ancient wisdom. Not just China and Japan, but Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia have also grown to become significant exporters of this much sought-after brew.

With its pure, fresh taste, you might think it came straight out of springs in the earth and into your cup, steaming hot. The reality isn’t that too far off: Unlike other teas, green teas are non-oxidized. Once the top two leaves and a bud are hand-plucked, the fresh leaves are steamed to halt oxidation.

Steaming brings out the fresh, grassy taste and aromas we associate with green tea, and it also makes the leaves soft and pliable for sorting and rolling into batches. The whole process is carried out without machines, guaranteeing the delicacy of flavor you’d find only with handcrafted teas.

If you like your green tea on the nutty side, try our playfulLung Ching variety. It’s an example of a green tea that’s pan-fried before being dried and sorted (other types of green tea may be pan-fried) to bring out that extra nutty nuance.

Whether you love green tea for its clean, earthy flavor or for its rich antioxidant benefits, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® has got you covered with our superior-quality selection of whole leaf green teas.

Our selection of whole leaf green teas: