I'd base the number of tea types on the number of plantations whatever that
number is and 3000 doesn't seem out of range for a world count. For example
two darjeelings from two adjacent plantations would have a discernable taste
difference at least for a tea taster. I also expect any two commerical
brands of a tea type to taste different. Actually there is only one tea
plant and what we know to be the difference is based on soil, climate,
processing, etc. The taste of tea will vary from cup too cup when all
things stay the same which is a bottom line no other beverage can match.
Instead of another book on the tea trade how about something about the
psychology of tea drinking. I think there is something too the fortune
teller and tea leaves. I can't tell you how many times I make tea and
dejavu or have premonitions.

Jim

"Ripon" > wrote in message
om...
> AK > wrote in message
thlink.net>...
> > I went to brooklyn Ten Ren yesterday and bought some white tea and an
> > oolong (that tastes more like gunpowder green). The nice lady gave me a
> > scan of a ny times story about tea. It said there are 3000 types of tea.
> > Is that true? Are most of them perceptibly different? (more so than
> > different harvest of the same type)?
> >
> > -AK
>
> Dear AK:
>
> I already spent a long amount of time with Tea and I still ask myself
> the same question. I am drinking tea from my childhood but for the
> last 7 years I have been seriously drinking tea with some basic
> background. For the last 1 and a half years I am crazily drinking and
> working on tea. 3,000 types,humm. I don't think so. I have been told
> the same thing(3,ooo types) by many tea experts. But when I asked
> them to give me a full list, believe me -- none of them could provide
> me the list. Then I went throught extensive research and so far my
> list couldn't climb up even near 3,000. But there is a possibility of
> this fact of 3,000 type. For example:-
>
> Chinese KEEMUN can be named like- Keemun Mao feng, Keemun Hao Ya A,
> Keemun Hao ya B,Keemun Hao Ya Grade C, Chi-Men, Fowliang,Keemun China
> Black Grade 1132, Keemun China Black grade 1143, Keemun Congue, Keemun
> First grade, Keemun Grand TGFOP, Keemun Ning Hong Ying Hao,Keemun OP,
> Keemun premium, keemun superior, keemun Imperial, Keemun mao feng Wiry
> Congou, Keemun Ning Chow bla. bla. bla...
>
> About Chinese Gunpowder green tea:- Gunpowder green teas are known by
> their district-Tienkai Gunpowder, Moyune Gunpowder, Hunan Gunpowder,
> Fukien Gunpowder etc. Also sometimes Gunpowder is graded by numbers.
> Its all very confusing.
>
> Think of Oolong:-Famous Ti Kwan Yin- 1st grade, Elegant queen,
> K100,Monkey picked,Special grade,Spring floral,Superior,Sweet lady,Tei
> Baoota,Top Confou....
>
> So you see in this way I believe there can be even more then 3,000
> types. There are also different types of teas from Srilanka, India,
> Bangladesh, Nepal,Japan,Taiwan,Indoneshia,Kenya many other countries.
>
> Last year while I was having a glass of exotic Thai iced tea, I asked
> the tea master, where that tea came from. For my basic Thai language
> knowledge with his kind help, I was able to visit Chang-rai(The tea
> estate area in Thailand by the golden triangle. I found out they grow
> 6 types of Oolong, the red tea used in Thai ice tea and also some
> green tea. I was surprised to see the varities.
>
> Basically there are three types of tea -- black, oolong, and green.
> But now white and yellow teas are available too not to mention so many
> blends.
>
> But now come back to the reality- TASTE, I don't think there are 3,000
> varities of taste. Like all those exotically named Keemuns taste quite
> the same, the differences are some are more smokey, fruity,richer
> aroma. But yes some are really exceptionaly tasty, such as-Keemun mao
> Feng, Hao Ya A or Hao Ya B. For your information, there are also
> Keemun Mao Feng green.
>
> So far I have been able to compile 180 types of Chinese black tea, 179
> types of Chinese green tea, and 147 types of Chinese Oolong tea. There
> are also similar lists (though not as extensive) from India,Srilanka,
> Bangladesh, Indonesia, etc.
>
> Enjoy your cup of tea.
>
> Ripon
> (From Bangladesh)