Glossary

Processing

Withering

The first processing step — letting freshly plucked leaves lose moisture and grow supple.

Hours of indoor or outdoor withering reduce the leaf's water content from ~80% to 60–65%. It softens the leaf for rolling, kicks off enzymatic changes, and develops floral aromatics — especially important in white and oolong teas.

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Related terms

Words that travel together.

Rolling

Twisting or rolling withered leaves to break their cell walls and release juices.

Oxidation

The browning of bruised tea leaves — the single most important variable defining tea type.

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