Different Types of Black Tea

There’s more to black tea than what meets the eye. 

Each type of black tea comes from a different region. Each type of black tea has its own unique ingredients. And of course, each will have a significantly different flavor profile as a result. 

You’ll read some of the most popular types of black tea below. We’ll also suggest some of our favorite brands or places to get them for your convenience.

Here is a sneak peak of all the types of black tea we’ll mention. 

• Keemun Tea 
• Derjeeling Tea 
• Assam Tea 
• Golden Monkey Tea
• Lapsang Souchong Tea 
• Yunnan Tea 
• Turkish Tea 
• Ceylon Tea 
• Kenyan Tea 
• Nilgiri Tea 

Props if you know them all! 

A few things we’ll keep consistent here are the flavor profiles, what region the black tea is from, and other notable features of the tea.

Keemun Black Tea 

The burgundy of teas. Keemun black tea is often compared to burgundy wines with its similar flavor profile and appearance, a dark amber-like color.

Keemun tea originated from Qimen County, a region in China that is South of Anhui province (if you’re familiar). It is sweet and full-bodied with its amber-like color produced from the twisted tea leaves. 

Texture wise, like most black teas, it’s smooth and pleasantly mouth coating. The tea has a very light aroma, which is nice for a morning cup of tea. There are no flavors that jump out at you too much. 

Sometimes a subdued flavor of tea that isn’t so strong as Assam black tea (or others) is exactly what we want. 

Feel free to try any one of these brands out if you’re interested in tasting keemun black teas. Harney & Sons Tea and Davidson’s Tea. 

Derjeeling Black Tea 

You might’ve heard about this tea from time to time. It’s one of the most popular varieties of black tea actually. This black tea variety is mainly grown and distributed from the Darjeeling district found in West Bengal, India. 

It is described to have a light aroma, light distinct color, and even light flavor profile. It tastes slightly nutty with a hint of floral notes.

In fact, some people mention that Darjeeling black tea is like the champagne of teas. 

Give it a try and let us know, do you think it’s the champagne of teas? Darjeeling loose leaf tea from VAHDAM or Leopard.

Assam Black Tea 

This rich black tea from the Assam region of India is probably the most popular black tea out there. And possibly the one you’re most familiar with.

Many boba shops specifically use this tea for Hong Kong style milk tea and even Thai milk teas. 

Learn how to make bubble tea at home here. 

Like all black tea, the rich flavors come from the oxidation process of Camellia Sinensis plants. What makes this unique is the region in which these tea leaves are grown and harvested. 

Harvested dark brown tea leaves are brewed for 3-5 minutes and present a bold and malty flavor profile. Its medium body tea contains hints of honey too! 

Another thing to note is its high caffeine amount compared to other teas. If you want a stronger tea, this might be the one for you. Have a look at some brands here: Ghograjan Tea Estate, Positively Tea Company, and Harney & Sons. 

Golden Monkey Black Tea

Golden monkey black tea is great for the morning. 

This flavorful tea is from the Fujian province of China and carefully harvested each spring. These tea leaves are hand picked each season (usually). When there’s that much effort put into the harvest, you know you’re in for a treat. 

Many describe the flavor as sweet.

Sometimes you’ll even taste hints of chocolate or hints of nuttiness. In our opinion, the subtle hints of flavor are what make this a great cup of tea for the morning. It’s not as robust as Assam black tea, which can be quite soothing to drink in the morning.

See if golden monkey black tea is right for you Teavana, Tealyra, and Vahdam. 

Lapsang Souchong Black Tea 

Another one from China? You bet! 

Fun Fact: China is the largest producer of tea in the world. No wonder there are a lot of popular types of black tea from China. 

Lapsang Souchong black tea specifically is from the mountains of Wuyishan. If you’re familiar with the area, you’ll know that this is within the Fujian province (similarly to Golden Monkey black tea). 

Lapsang Souchong black tea is described as medium-bodied with a smoky flavor profile that’s hard to forget. If you’re looking for a tea that packs a punch in the morning, this might be your new favorite black tea. 

The smoky flavor profile is very crisp and not as subtle as the other teas we mentioned above. If you want to try it for yourself we’d recommend these selections on Amazon. Solstice Tea Traders, Stash Tea, or Teavivre.

Yunnan Black Tea 

Stick around if you like a sweet cup of tea. Processed and harvested in Yunnan province of china, Yunnan black tea is loved by many. 

If you typically do not like the robustness or slight bitterness of Assam black tea, you should have a taste for Yunnan black tea. Some describe this tea to have great hints of honey or caramel flavors. 

Its sweet and subtle flavor is definitely another great tea suggestion for the morning. In fact, we tend to drink this a few times a week. We don’t get tired of the taste! 

Dare we say it, but we think this is the best black tea for winter morning out there. 

Brew a popular Yunnan black tea brand for 3-4 minutes and serve immediately. You won’t regret it! Try Simple Loose Leaf Tea Company or Numi.

Turkish Black Tea 

Turkish black tea is often described to be a lot stronger than most other black teas. 

This tea, also known as Cay, is typically served in a elongated glass with a saucer. Generally people do not consume Turkish tea with milk, but cubes of sugar are often used. Since the flavor is quite strong, it is suggested to slowly sip this tea. 

Plus, the glass is often very hot to touch!

Fair warning for those that do not like a bold and robust flavor, Turkish tea might not be for you. If you want to give it a try or taste, here is Turkish tea brand you might enjoy, Caykur.

Ceylon Black Tea 

Produced and harvested in Sri Lanka. Ceylon black tea is often referred to as Sri Lankan tea too. 

It is another popular black tea on this list. In fact, a great addition to this tea is to use milk and make your very own milk tea at home. Maybe even adding boba pearls to it for some texture! 

As most black teas, ceylon tea helps boost your immune system, aid in weight loss, and even improve heart health and functionality. 

After a strong brew of 3-5 minutes, the flavor is often described as sweet and the texture is very smooth. Try the most popular brand on Amazon, Davidson’s Tea.

Kenyan Black Tea 

Rich and bold like Assam black teas. Produced and harvested by hand in Kenya. Kenyan black tea is a favorite when it comes to breakfast teas with milk. 

Regular tea drinkers who need a more bold flavor to enjoy their teas might like this a lot. The full bodied tea is often described as crisp and bold.

Find yourself a bold brand of Kenyan black tea here. 

Nilgiri Black Tea 

Grown and harvested in Nilgiris of India. 

Nilgiri black tea has a light amber color or hue perfect for iced tea, in case you want a refreshing tea. Tea drinkers describe the taste like your typical Assam black tea, but with hints of fruitiness. Many refer to blackberries, so if you enjoy the sweet taste of blackberries, this tea is for you.

Not many people know about this tea, unfortunately. But it is definitely growing in popularity over the years, which is great! Let us help continue that growth, here are some brands that sell Nilgiri black tea. The Tao of Tea, VAHDAM, or Teamonk Global.

Other tea articles you might like to read after this one. 

• Top Black Tea for Milk Tea 
• How to Make Black Milk Tea 
• How Long Should You Steep Tea