Processing
Twisting or rolling withered leaves to break their cell walls and release juices.
Rolling — by hand or by machine — controls the leaf's exposure to oxygen. The shape of the rolled leaf (twisted, balled, flat, needle) is one of a tea's most recognisable signatures.
Related terms
The first processing step — letting freshly plucked leaves lose moisture and grow supple.
The browning of bruised tea leaves — the single most important variable defining tea type.
The final stage that gives tea its recognisable form: needles, pearls, balls, twists, flat blades.
The Tea List dispatch
Slow reading for slow drinkers. No spam, unsubscribe in a single click.
