Black tea is the most consumed tea in the world, making it more popular than white, green and oolong varieties and contributing to its rank as the second most consumed beverage in the world. Black tea is the cheapest tea and available in a wide range of flavors that can be combined to make specialty blends. Black tea is more oxidized than other teas, has a stronger flavor and more caffeine. Two types of species are used with loose leaf black teas: Small-leaved Chinese variety plants and large-leaved Assamese plants. 

Black tea retains its flavor for years, making it an excellent product to trade. There are four different grades for black tea. Whole leaf teas are the highest quality, followed by broken leaves, fannings and dusts. Since the whole leaf varieties have few alterations made to them, they retain their natural chemicals and essential oils. Whole leaf teas offer the most health benefits, fruitful flavors and the option to be blended with one another for unique tastes and aromas.

Black tea producing countries include Sri Lanka, China and India. Sri Lanka is the third largest tea producer and offers the perfect climate for growing tea. Their selection is referred to as Ceylon, or the old name for Sri Lanka. China may be the largest producer of white, green and oolong teas, but they are in fact a small producer when it comes to black teas. Since China is so widely known for their green and white teas, they rarely oxidize the leaves to make black tea.

Surprisingly, India is the most productive country and is able to grow their black tea selections at sea level. With high levels of humidity and rainfall, the Assam tea and Darjeeling tea varieties are in high demand. Each type of black tea has a different flavor depending on where it comes from, and can be enjoyed for both morning and afternoon teas. 

When enjoying loose leaf black tea, people are surprised at how rich and delicious the flavors are compared to bagged selections. Depending on where the tea comes from, you can enjoy an earthy blend or something sweet and malty.