For many of our teas, tea rolling is an indispensable part of the process. Tea rolling is used in the production process of our green, yellow, Oolong, black and Pu erh teas. We are happy to explain to you everything about tea rolling; how it works and how this process contributes to the delicious cups of tea we love so much.
What is tea rolling?
Tea rolling is the forming or rolling of the tea leaves, where fresh tea leaves are formed into compact balls, beads or other shapes. The tea leaves are gently rolled, twisted or folded, giving them their characteristic shape and texture. This process can be done either by machine or by hand, depending on the desired tea and the tea farmer’s production method. Tea rolling is important for developing the flavour, aroma and texture of the tea. Moreover, tea leaf rolling helps in reducing moisture content and creating the desired shape, density and size of the tea leaves.
Rolling the tea leaves damages the cell wands. This does not destroy the tea leaves, but this can be compared to rubbing the leaves between your hands. By breaking the cell structure, the cell juices are exposed. The aim is to distribute moisture evenly across the outside of the tea leaves. This exposes enzymes in the tea leaves to the air, which then react with the oxygen in the air, accelerating the oxidation process. The oxidation process of the tea leaves greatly affects the flavour profile of the tea. During tea rolling, essential oils are also released which can affect the smell and taste of the tea. In general, the longer the tea leaves are rolled, the finer the tea quality. In countries like India or Sri Lanka, tea rolling is mainly used to intensify the flavour due to exposed oils, while in China and Japan, tea rolling is seen more as a form of art.
The different forms of tea rolling manifest themselves in the various teas around the world. From tightly rolled Chinese green tea pearls to loose, winding Indian Darjeeling leaves, thanks to tea leaf rolling, each tea has its own unique, distinctive flavour profile.
Types of tea
Oolong tea
The production process of Oolong tea takes a lot of time as the tea rolling and oxidation steps are repeated continuously for up to 12 hours. This makes the process of making Oolong tea a lot more complex than other teas. Our Formosa Tong Ting Oolong tea is slightly oxidised and consists of small hand-rolled balls that open completely when you pour hot water over them.
Green tea
Our Jasmine Dragon Pearls are also hand-rolled. In fact, our Jasmine Dragon Pearls are entirely hand-made. This green tea is picked in spring and stored until the jasmine flowers are ready to bloom. The blossoms of this night flower are then picked in the early morning mist on the hills of the high-altitude tea garden in Fujian, China and used to carefully scent the green tea. In total, it takes more than a month to produce these jasmine pearls, but good things in life are worth the wait.
Some tea leaves are first steamed before being rolled. This special technique called ‘steam rolling’ is often used in making Japanese green teas, such as Sencha and Gyokuro. This process softens the tea leaves and preserves their natural flavour and colour. Our Japan Green Sencha, Green Lemon Sencha and the special Japan Green Gyokuro Asahi are teas where steam rolling is applied.
White tea
When producing white tea, however, tea rolling is often omitted. This is because the leaves are so delicate and fragile that they are dried only to ensure that the valuable buds remain undamaged. In other types of teas, contrarily, the leaves are deliberately rolled around the delicate bud to protect it.
In short, tea rolling is important for creating the unique flavour and texture of different teas. From green, yellow and Oolong teas to black and Pu erh teas, each tea variety has its unique tea rolling and oxidation process.
For more unique teas, have a look at our website!
