5 Differences Between Chinese and Indian Red Tea
Red tea (known as Black tea in the West) is the most consumed tea in the world. In America, Indian-style teas like Assam or Darjeeling are well-known. But do you know there are also many Chinese Red teas?
India and China are both big Red tea exporters. In fact, they produced around 25.5% of the world’s production in 2020. (45.25% if you include Sri Lanka, which also produces Indian-style Red tea).
But even if they fall into the same category, they differ in many aspects. That’s why I wanted to briefly go other the main differences between Chinese and Indian Red tea, like their growing conditions, taste, or appearance... So that you can easily differentiate the two.
Also, ¨Red tea¨ in China refers to what westerners call ¨black tea¨. And I will get to why soon. But for now, just remember that when I use the term ¨Red tea¨, I mean the tea known as Black tea in the West.
What is Red Tea?
Red tea is made by withering, rolling, and oxidizing (meaning damaging) the tea leaves. So while Green tea is not oxidized, Red tea is fully oxidized.
You can recognize Red tea by:
Its sweet, malty, and fruity flavor
The distinctive black color of its dried leaves
The beautiful red hue of its brew
Why is Red Tea Called Black Tea?
The thing is when Westerners first started buying tea from China, they referred to Chinese Red tea as "Black tea". And this term stayed until now.
But in China, there is a distinct category of tea already named Black tea (Hei-cha). And it’s pitch black when brewed. So while Westerners essentially focus on the dried leaf color to name tea – China considers the brewed tea color.
If you still feel confused, try to read our dedicated article Is Red tea The Same As Black Tea?
5 Ways Chinese and Indian Red Tea Differ
Though they share similarities, Chinese and Indian red tea are quite different. Here are 5 of the main differences between the 2.
1 – Tea Plants
All teas are made from leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant. There are 2 main varieties:
Var. Sinensis: Native to China, small leaves
Var. Assamica: Native to India, large leaves
So Red tea from China is often made with the Sinensis variety. While Red tea from India is usually made with the Assamica variety. However, it’s not always true.
For example, Dian Hong (A Chinese Red tea from Yunnan) is made mostly from the Assamica variety. And thanks to Robert Fortune who shamelessly stole thousands of tea trees from China, the Sinensis variety was successfully introduced in Darjeeling (North-East India).
2 – Terroirs (Micro-climate)
Terroir refers to the growing conditions of the tea plant such as:
Weather
Altitude
Temperatures
Soil
The Terroir has a big impact on a tea’s taste. In China, tea is often grown in the mountains. With low temperatures and heavy mist, the tea leaves don’t get much sun and need more time to develop. Resulting in a tea with subtle flavors.
Then you have major Indian producing regions such as Assam where tea plants grow in full sun, with very hot temperatures and low altitudes. That’s why Indian Red tea tends to be more robust and astringent.
3 - Processing Method
Chinese Red teas are typically oxidized longer at lower temperatures, while Indian Red teas use higher temperatures for shorter periods of time. But the major difference concerning processing is the final appearance of the tea.
Chinese tea producers take pride in making beautiful, perfectly whole tea leaves. With complex, nuanced flavors that make you think. On the other hand, Indian Red teas’ processing is influenced by history.
When the British started cultivating tea in its Indian colonies, they thought in typical capitalists… And came up with the CTC (Cut, Tear, Curl) method that:
Crushes the leaves, speeding up oxidation (because time is money)
Homogenizes the taste and gives it consistency
It gives a tea broken in tiny pellets, with a robust taste. But nowadays, you can also find Indian red tea only partially broken, or even whole. You can compare both teas by looking at the photo below. (left: partially broken Indian Red tea, right: whole leaf Chinese Red tea )
4 – Flavor Profile
Here is a recap of the most common Chinese and Indian Red teas’ flavor profiles:
Note that those are general data and can vary depending on many factors. But overall, Chinese Red teas tend to be a bit less oxidized. They taste lighter, sweeter, and more complex than Indian Red teas. While Indian teas have bolder, more robust flavors.
Extra info:Darjeeling is an exception and tastes lighter than typical Indian Red teas because it’s grown in higher elevation areas and uses the Camellia Sinensis var. Sinensis native to China.
5 – Brewing Method
Tea culture in China and India are totally different. Chinese traditionally use the Gong Fu method of brewing, meaning:
Using a higher leaf to water ratio
Brewing with a Gaiwan, with short steeps
Brewing multiple times to taste the developing flavors
No additional ingredients needed
Indian red teas are typically brewed in the western style with a big teapot. The steeping can last 3 to 5 minutes. Resulting in a strong and sometimes bitter tea.
So while Chinese red tea is already kind of sweet, their Indian counterparts are often mixed with milk, sugar, or honey to mellow the taste. And since the leaves are already broken, they give all the flavors they have at once. So you can’t re-brew them much.
No More Confusion
Now, you know the differences between Chinese and Indian Red tea, and how both countries process and brew their leaves… You have all the elements you need to decide which one suit you best!
And if you want to learn more about Chinese Red teas which are so little known in the West, you can check out our detailed article on What is Chinese Red Tea?
