Collection: Black tea bags

FAQs

Is there a difference between black tea and normal tea?

Black tea is the best known and most widely consumed type of tea in the West. Other types of tea include white tea, green tea, Oolong tea and herbal tea.

Black teas are defined as fully-oxidised, meaning they tend to have darker, more robust flavours. So-called 'breakfast' teas are usually black teas as their rich flavour is well-suited to a drop of milk.

You can find out more about black tea.

Is drinking black tea good for you?

All tea comes from the Camelia sinensis tea plant, so black, Oolong, green and white teas share many of the same health benefits. Evidence has credited drinking tea regularly with everything from aiding digestion and boosting metabolism, to lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of disease, including preventing some cancers. Find out more about the benefits of tea.

What is black tea?

Black tea is the most widely consumed tea type of all. Like other teas, it comes from the tea plant, Camelia sinensis, but is known for its rich and robust flavours.

The distinguishing feature of black tea production is the full oxidation of the freshly plucked tea leaf. After the leaves are picked, they are rolled and gently bruised, kickstarting a process of oxidation. During this process the leaves turn from the green to brown, before finally being dried. The result is dark, robust flavours, ranging from India’s rich, malty Assams, through China’s Keemuns with their bittersweet notes of dark chocolate, to lively cups of East Africa’s single origin black teas with hints of fruit and caramel.

Find out more about black tea.

What is English Breakfast tea?

English Breakfast tea is a blend of multiple, single-origin black teas - typically Assam, Kenya and Ceylon. This popular blend brews a full-bodied cup that is perfectly suited to the addition of milk. Find out more about English Breakfast tea.

Do I always need to put milk in black tea?

No, a good quality black tea, brewed with care, should be delicious with or without milk. Some black teas, such as English Breakfast, are blended to pair well with milk, but it is largely down to personal preference how you enjoy your black tea. If you don't take milk, look for something a little lighter such as a Ceylon, Rwanda or Darjeeling. 

How do you make the perfect cup of black tea?

To make the perfect cup of Black tea, you need two things:

1) Good quality black tea leaves
2) Good water

It then comes down to the brewing, which is specific to each tea. As a general rule of thumb Black tea should be brewed in boiling water for 3- 5 minutes. Find out more about the importance of good water and how to make loose leaf tea.