Description

The finest fresh and flavoured organic Gorreana’s Tea, situated in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean nine hundred miles west of the mainland Portugal. The Gorreana tea in the Azores Island of São Miguel is a family owned business operating since 1883, keeping the original traditions and quality for five generations.

Gorreana's unique tea are not comparable in taste and quality to other tea. These organic tea grow in an island mild climate with regular rainfall. This proved to be the perfect environment for the production of Camellia Sinensis, the plant that grows in fresh air, hundreds (if not thousands) of miles away from big cities, without the use of pesticides or herbicides and blessed by a rich and mineral volcanic soil that gives the leaves a very fragrant and pleasant aftertaste.

Gorreana’s has four varieties of Chá – the Portuguese word for Tea. The black tea (chá preto) produced at the plantation is named Orange Pekoe, Pekoe and Broken Leaf. The green tea (chá verde) is named Hysson.

Gorreana Orange Pekoe Black Tea - An exquisite premium grade black tea grown in the mineral rich Gorreana hills surrounded by the exotic flowers that scent the delicate tea leaves to bring out its unique bold flavor. This black tea is the first leaf of the tea plant

Gorreana Black Pekoe Tea - Second leaf pekoe black tea is a premium grade european grown tea that cannot be matched in flavour. A smooth black tea prized for its beautiful full flavoured leaves, mouthwatering fresh taste and distinctive rich aroma.

Gorreana Broken Leaf - Gorreana's broken leaf tea has been a staple on european tables for over a century. Broken Leaf is the third addition to Gorreana’s premium black tea collection and is picked from the lowest leaf of the Camellia Sinensis tea plant. This tea has a smooth, light taste and subtle aroma with very little in tannin.

Gorreana Green Tea Hysson – It is how the tea leaf is processed that creates the difference to get the green tea and has been a tradition in Portugal since the 1750’s when the Camellia Sinensis was discovered growing wild in the Azores Islands of the coast of Portugal. Mild flavour and delicate aroma with a brownish green color, is a delicious tea and the less stimulating of all.

After plucking the delicate leaves are sorted and cleaned and are either steamed or fried depending on the green tea, then under go the drying phase on delicate trays with the fresh ocean air adding a unique fragrant scent to the precious leaves.

It is scientifically proven that green tea is very beneficial for health as it contains flavonoids, which act against bad cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure and some types of cancer. Has a relaxing effect, unlike the black tea that has a more stimulating effect.

These are the delicious varieties of Portuguese Chá you can order. Secular flavours wisely preserved. Unique tea that you can enjoy or purchase as gifts for friends and family.

History

Visited by thousands annually, Gorreana's tea plantation and museum located in the county of Ribeira Grande is the perfect place to enjoy a cup of fresh picked tea while admiring the original 'Marshalls' machinery that dates back to the 1840's. The scent of fresh tea and exotic flowers alongside sweeping ocean views is a paradise just as rare as the tea from these historic mineral rich Gorreana Mountains.

The thirty-two hectar of the Chá Gorreana tea plantation are the only place in all of Europe where tea is cultivated. Nowadays the plantation produces roughly 40 tons of the acclaimed tea annually, most of which is shipped to mainland and Europe.

The tea at Gorreana is harvested and packed following the original methods. The leaves are hand picked and then sorted by local women. The leaves are then dried in trays stored in the attic, wilted, fermented and then dried again. This process creates black tea; green tea is produced from the same leaves, but they’re steamed early in the process to stop their fermentation, a process and knowledge technics that makes the whole difference in the final flavour of these four varieties of tea from Azores.

Most people don't associate Europe with tea production however it does take place and has a very important history that dates back centuries. Portugal was the first european country to encounter tea, to import and to grow it for commercial purposes, the pioneers of an industry that has deep roots in european history and hundreds of cultures worldwide.

A true knowledge to european history and culture brought to the Azores back in 1878 by two Chinese horticulturists from the former Portuguese colony of Macau and preserved by five generations owners.

Here are some tea suggestions:

Choosing the type of tea – The black tea, being stronger and more energetic, is recommended to be drunk in the morning. The Aromatic tea is a lighter tea that can be enjoyed in the afternoon. By the end of the day, or even with heavy meals or after them as a digestive, you can have the calm Green tea.

For the best cup of tea - As soon as the water starts boiling, remove it from the heat. Overheating the water causes the tea to taste flat. Immediately pour the water into the pot, cover, and let stand. If using green tea, allow the water to cool slightly before pouring onto the leaves

If you add lemon and sugar to your tea, add the sugar first, since the citric acid from the lemon will prevent the sugar from dissolving. Milk is often used in full-bodied black teas such as Broken Leaf Tea. Don't use cream as it interferes with the taste of the tea. Also, do not use milk with green tea (most teas are better without milk). Adding a little honey to tea is a personal preference, but it is a delicious way of sweetening your tea.

Tea to be truly enjoyed must be sealed properly! Teas are very easily affected by other scents-which could alter the quality of a good tea. People often notice that their teas have picked up other scents from surrounding foods and spices.

Grown hundreds of miles away from industrial pollution using traditional farming methods, when you open your package of Gorreana tea the first thing you will notice is the aroma of the high quality tea leave.