The process begins in the same manner as that for black tea. The aroma, however, develops more quickly, and when the leaf is fired or dried, a coppery color forms around the edge of the leaf while the center remains green. The flavor is fruity and pungent. Green tea is produced much like the others, except that the leaf is heated before rolling. It remains green throughout processing, and the aroma characteristic of black tea does not develop.
Green tea is graded by age and style.
In gunpowder tea, for example, which uses either young or middle-aged leaves, each leaf has been rolled into a tiny pellet. Young hyson refers to slightly twisted or rolled young leaves. Unblended and Blended Varieties Various unblended and blended teas have achieved fame for their characteristic flavors. World Production India, China, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Indonesia, Japan, and the republics of Georgia and Azerbaijan are among the leading producers of tea. Of the approximately 2.5 million metric tons that were produced annually in the early 1990s, India accounted for about one-third of the total.