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Different Teas Are Used In Blending Major Brands
Many different teas are used in blending major brands of tea because of consistency. As tea is an agricultural product, it is subject to seasonal variations in quality and availability. Sri Lanka (Ceylon), for example, produces their best teas during the months of March, April, August, and September during dry seasons. The Assam region in India produces very little tea in January and February.
The first step in blending is to select the appropriate teas, or components, that will produce the proper blend. At Salada, our expert tea tasters sample hundreds of teas from all over the world. Some teas are selected for body and color, others for flavor and top notes and still others for a particular character. The teas, when blended, must produce a well rounded cup of tea. Blending requires considerable expertise and a good pallet. Tea tasting is very similar to a wine tasting.
Most tea is purchased at auctions in the producing countries around the world. Large auction centers include Calcutta (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Mombasa (Kenya), and Jakarta (Indonesia). Tea is also purchased through private contracts. There is no futures market for tea because of the variation in the quality of different teas.
When tea packers blend tea, it is normally done in large drum blenders. Tea is blended for a long period of time to ensure that the blend is consistent and true.
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