A Guide To The 5 Best Black Teas For Every Tea Drinker

Are you looking for the best black tea but can't decide which one to choose? The most popular black teas offer a hearty, rich, deep flavor. Here are my favorites.

Dried black tea leaves with wooden spoon on wooden background

Black tea blends and single-origin black tea leaves are the most popular with tea drinkers. Cooler nights and early sunsets always draw me in to enjoy a hot cup of tea, making it the perfect time to explore the different flavors of the best black teas.

There are a few that stand out as classic favorites. Some of the best black teas I recommend here are naturally flavored, full-bodied teas, while others get their flavor simply from their origin.

Thousands of tea estates around the world produce black tea. Different regions craft a unique tea based on the terroir and the oxidation process of drying the tea leaves.

All black teas are fully oxidized, producing a hearty, rich, deep flavor of amber-colored liquor, making them perfect for blending. As always, a fresher and better-grade tea offers a better tea experience.

Birthplace of the Best Black Tea

The Yunnan province of China is thought to be the birthplace of tea. Some of the wild-growing tea trees are purported to be about 1,700 years old, which is simply amazing. These trees are still giving after all these years. The old-growth Chinese tea trees are never pruned.

Shades of Earl Grey - $19.95
from: Firebelly Teas Inc.

All black tea comes from the Camellia sinensis tea plant. Yunnan tea is known as some of the best black tea, more so than tea from other parts of China.

My top five picks for the best black tea:

1. Black Dragon Pearl

Black Dragon Pearl is one of my favorite teas. This is the tea I drink every morning as I slowly awaken to the day before me.

Black Dragon Pearl comes from the southern Yunnan province in China. This black tea version of the famous Dragon Pearl is naturally sweet and smooth with some earthiness.

Only the highest quality leaves and buds are selected and expertly rolled into a large pearl-like shape before the leaves can dry. I love watching this golden-tipped large-leaf tea steep as each pearl gently unfurls, delivering a superb tea experience.

You can infuse this tea in a tea sack, but please don’t. You'll get a much better flavor if you let them fully open naturally without constraint, as in a large infuser, or leave them in your cup. Strain the infusion after steeping.

Black Dragon Pearl is a full-bodied infusion with subtle cocoa notes, producing a beautiful coppery-amber color. It’s smooth and sweet but also stands up well to added milk or sweetener. It’s always forgiving since it doesn’t turn bitter if you accidentally over-steep it.

The tightly rolled nuggets of the Black Dragon Pearl contain an aroma, texture, and hue as intriguing as its name. Did I mention the cocoa notes? It smells divine.

How is Black Dragon Pearl Tea Made?

The Leaf Chief/Master Taster Cynthia at Adagio Tea gave me some information on Black Dragon Pearl.

Our Black Dragon Pearls are from Yunnan, where they get their smooth, sweet, and rich character. The leaves are plucked and go through the black tea making the process. After oxidation and while still pliable, they are kept warm on a heating pad of sorts to keep them supple. This fills the room with a wonderful aroma of the leaves.”

Black tea is fully oxidized, producing a hearty, rich flavor. This means that once the first two leaves and a bud are plucked, they are “withered” to reduce the leaf's moisture.

Once withered to satisfactory moisture content, the leaves are rolled—the rolling releases the flavonoids, setting up the enzymatic process for oxidation. Once fully oxidized, the leaves are set out to dry and cool.

Cynthia adds,

They are hand-rolled into the pearl shape and twisted into nylon mesh to keep their shape while they dry. It looks kind of like a bunch of grapes when a bunch of them are twisted into the mesh. When completely dry, the pearls are released from the nylon.”

The idea that each pearl comes from hand-picked tea and then hand-rolled adds to the intrigue of Black Dragon Pearl tea. Adagios Black Dragon Pearls are some of the best I've had.

2. Earl Grey

The widespread love of Earl Grey tea is undeniable. Earl Grey is an international bestseller and one of the most popular flavored teas in the West. The distinctive flavor of Earl Grey comes from bergamot oil.

Bergamot is a Mediterranean citrus fruit. The bergamot fruit has a very generous rind and is prized for its fragrant essential oil by perfumeries. Tea blenders love the citrusy zest of bergamot oranges.

Some tea blenders use natural bergamot oil, while others use artificial oil. When a natural oil is used, it will say “oil of bergamot.” Natural bergamot has a subtle but intense flavor. And it’s not easy to find.

Smith Tea Maker makes a Lord Bergamot Earl Grey, that is one of my favorites. They use the oil of bergamot from southern Italy to scent the tea. Their black tea is a blend of Sri Lankan (also called Ceylon teas) and Indian teas.

earl grey tea with bergamot fruit — Earl Grey tea with bergamot.

Tea Blending is a Craft

Since Earl Grey is a blended, flavored black tea, the exact blend of black tea and the choice and amount of bergamot oil will greatly effect its flavor. Here is where the craft of the tea blender is so essential.

The black tea used as a base for Earl Grey is a blend and often comes from China, India, or Sri Lanka. The main black tea base for Earl Grey commonly uses a blend of rich Indian tea called Assam tea with other black teas.

The best way to achieve an excellent Bergamot flavor is to use an all-natural bergamot oil from Italy. Italian bergamot oil is costly but is the preferred oil. When it comes to food, the Italians are all about excellence. Italian Bergamot oil makes the Earl Grey tea a tad pricey, but it’s worth it.

Earl Grey can also make a delicious cocktail. You can get my Enchanting Earl Grey Cocktail recipe here.

3. English Breakfast Tea

All breakfast blends are made from full-bodied black tea. English Breakfast tea is an all-time favorite and one of the most consumed tea across the globe. It’s a classic black tea and one of my favorites. It is a blend designed to be consistent across harvests and provide a strong morning cup of tea. Every tea company designs its secret blend of breakfast teas, and the exact types of black tea used are not always known.

The English Breakfast black tea blend is traditionally made with a quality China Keemun from the Anhui province. The Keemun gives it a deep, rich flavor that goes nicely with milk and makes it a superb morning tea.

On the other hand, Irish Breakfast Teas are black tea blends using Assam black tea from India as part of its primary base. Either one makes a delightful morning cup.

English Breakfast Tea leaves The Tea Spot for Hot Toddy Tea

4. Chai

A spicy Masala chai is a powerful blend of tea, herbs, and spices cherished for centuries in India.

Masala means ‘mixture of spice’ in Hindi. Chai rhymes with ‘pie.' Chai is the word for tea in many parts of the world. So when we mistakenly say 'chai tea' in America, we are really saying 'tea tea.' Masala chai is simply tea (chai) with a spice mix (masala).

This sweet spiced tea from India is made from the best black tea and spices. Each blend is unique, but most include cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and pepper. Traditional Indian chai spice blends are designed to promote health and peace of mind.

All chai spice blends use cardamom. It is the most important and also the most expensive spice in the mix. In fact, cardamom is one of the most expensive spices in the world. The good news is you don’t need much of it to flavor your tea.

If you want to make your own Masala Chai, true to the Indian version, check out my Quick and Easy Masala Chai recipe.

If you don't want to make your own chai from scratch, Adagio Tea and Vahdam Tea make some of the best chai blends ready to brew!

What is Cardamom?

Cardamom is revered for its medicinal properties dating back to Egypt’s Egypt'sapyrus in 1550 BCE. The Ebers Papyrus is the Egyptian document of herbal knowledge and is one of the oldest and most important medical documents.

Indigenous to southern India, cardamom is used in many recipes for its sweet and savory wellness qualities. Cardamom is known as a digestive aid and appetite stimulant. It also acts as a diuretic and antioxidant. The seed is often chewed as a breath refresher.

Cardamom is a good Vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc source. It is an excellent dietary fiber, iron, and manganese source.

Tea-Growing Regions Of India

India has three major tea-producing regions - Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiri. Like the wines of France, tea in India is named after the region in which it is grown. The majority of tea produced in India is black, but a number of estates are branching out and producing green and oolong teas.

Where the tea is grown and produced has much to do with how the tea will taste. This sense of place is called terroir; it is the idea that the soil, rain, sun, moon, and climate all impact the finished tea.

Assam is the world's single largest tea-growing region. Assam teas are prized for their rich, malty, robust character. They make good breakfast teas and go well with milk. Assam teas with golden tips in them are of the finest quality.

The Darjeeling district, with its high altitude and heavy mists, is nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas. Darjeeling produces much smaller yields with three distinct cropping periods or flushings. Darjeeling teas are the prize of India, with the first and second flush the most popular teas.

Nilgiri is often referred to as the Southern Darling. Nilgiri, literally translated, means 'Blue Mountain.' It is the most spectacular mountain range in south India. Nilgiri tea produces bright and brisk liquors that are flavorful and fragrant.

5. Keemun

Among Chinese black tea, Keemun tea is the best black tea produced in the Anhui province of China. It is famous for its rich flavor, fiery amber liquor, and toasty aroma. It is smoky, slightly malty, and smooth, with an aromatic finish.

Adagio and TeaVivre both sell excellent Keemun. It's smoky and sharp but with maltiness and body. It also has a fruity aroma. If you like a dark beer or a red wine, this may be your best black tea choice.

Keemun is a perfect evening tea. It pairs well with biscuits or chocolate. In China, Keemun is typically drunk without milk or sugar, although many prefer it with some sweetening.

Grades of Keemun Tea

There are several varieties of Keemun tea that you may come across when buying premium Keemun tea. You will never forget if you've never had a Keemun black tea. The pleasant and distinct taste is unlike any other black tea I've ever tasted.

The dried tea leaves tend to be long and thin with a classic copper-colored liquor.

Keemun Mao Feng: This is the most popular Keemun. An earthy tea is slightly reminiscent of chocolate. It's harvested in the Spring and contains two leaves and a bud. Keeman Mao Feng is lighter than other Keemun teas.
Keemun Hao Ya: A high-grade variety containing mostly leaves. You might see two more categories described as Hao Ya A (1) or Hao Ya B (2) when you are shopping. Hao Ya A is better quality. Both have a strong, slightly malty taste.
Keemun Gongfu: This is specifically made for the Gongfu tea ceremony.
Keemun Xin Ya: This is an early bud variety and, as such, has less bitterness.

Whichever tea you choose, I hope you enjoy it! What is your favorite black tea?

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