The different teas

Second most consume drink in the world after water, tea is and universal beverage. Rich in history and cultural heritage, it is prepared in different ways depending on the country, customs and religions.
A national drink in some countries, an exceptional drink in others, it is sought after everywhere for its freshness, its taste, its infinite diversity and its benefits. Since 1848, Compagnie Coloniale has been selecting and blending the best teas in France to offer you a wide choice and there is something for everyone. Our mantra : Creating a tea blend is an Art, Tasting it is all pleasure.

If you need some advice on how to choose your tea, here is some information that should help you!

You like the subtle and vegetal aromas, the natural taste of tea leave ? You can choose white teas, made from young tea buds still covered with a cottony down.

Green teas, naturally dry, which leaves the leaves their green color. Rich in antioxidants and low in thine, they can have a fat-burning effect an be your best ally for slimming. 

Unflavored Black teas whose leaves are picked green and then oxidized as soon as they are picked. It takes an average ok 7kg of fresh leaves obtain 1 kg of black tea. Black tea is stonier in then than green tea.

Oolong teas are halfway between green and black tea. It is oxidized, but for a much shorter time than black tea. They are sometimes called blue teas, because of the color of their infusions. 
All these types of high quality teas, grown in different countries or regions, have very different characteristics. A tea from Assam will give a different flavor than a tea from China, or a tea from Ceylon (Sri Lanka). 
Each of these teas has virtues and will bring you many benefits. 
Pu erh tea owes its name to the town of Pu Er in the province of Yunnan in China. It is fermented after oxidation. It gives a very dark liquor with aromas of wet earth.

Tasting the tea

The smoked black teas are placed on large screens during the drying process and exposed to a fire of pine roots. 
All these energizing teas are ideal for breakfast for example. Do you prefer fruity flavors ? Flowery? We also have what you need!
Flavored teas can be white, green or black. They are associated with fruit, citrus, flowers, spices, etc...
Earl Grey certainly the the most famous flavored tea, is a bergamot tea. 

Finally, if you wish to opt for an option Herbal teas, ideal for sleeping for example, you will find your happiness among our ranges of herbal teas and rooibos. You can also de-tea your favorite tea by throwing away the first water in which you let your tea less than 10 seconds. 

All our blends are the result of an ancestral know-how : after having selected the best teas, we create in our French workshops unique and original recipes such as our emblematic Thé de Noël (Christmas Tea). 
When you buy or ordered tea online at Compagnie & Co, you will find it either loose in metal tins or in fabric bags. Our tea bags contain the exact same quality as our loose teas. 
But once you have finally made your choice among our 200 references, how to prepare your teas ? 
The first rule is to enjoy yourself! If you use loose tea, you need to count 2g of tea per cup that you put in a tea ball or a paper bag.
Never boil the water, but use water simmering at 80°C, 3 minutes is the standard time to let the tea  steep, but each tea is unique : a white or a green tea ca, steep longer than a black tea. Once again, the most important thing is to please yourself, you can of course, adapt the infusion time if you prefer your tea subtly scented or on the contrary a little stonier. 
The iced tea version also allows you to discover tea under another very appreciable aspect.

What are the benefits of tea ? 

Tea has many virtues: It acts on cholesterol and therefore reduces cardiovascular problems. It also promotes digestion and has diuretic properties. Finally, it increases the feeling of satiety and promotes weight loss. 
What is the best tea for health ? 
Each type of teas has a specific virtues: 
- Green tea has has antioxydant properties. 
- Black tea is known to limit cardiovascular problems.
- White tea is a natural anti-stress and delays cell aging. 
- Matcha tea is an excellent antioxydant and promotes the elimination of fats and toxins. 
- Rooibos (or "red tea"), even if it is classified as an herbal tea, is a plant from South Africa that protects the skin and prevents aging. 

What are the different types of tea? 

The difference between the different types of tea comes mainly from the level of oxydation of the leaves :

- Green tea is not oxidized
- White tea is very slightly oxidized (about 10 to 12%) 
- Oolong tea is moderately oxidized (up yo 70%)
- Black tea is completely oxidized. 
The level of then is also different between the types of tea : white tea contains much less theine than black tea, which is why it can be consumed in the evening without impacting your sleep.

How to choose the right tea? 

Choosing the right tea is not an easy task! The quality of your infusion, both in terms of flavor ans health benefits, always depends on the raw materials used. Of course, you must also have an idea of your tastes because there are many different flavors. Here are a few tips to help you make your choices more easily. Do not hesitate to try to make your choice. 

Recognizing a quality tea
In order to taste good teas, you must first of all rely on a seller specialized in the field. Indeed, it is only by calling upon the know-how of passionate professionals that you will have all the chances to test tasty drinks, with perfectly mastered tastes ans compositions. 

Ideally, you should be able to smell a tea before buying it, as the smell is a good indicator of the taste quality. However, if you go to a website like Compagnie & Co's, you can be sure that you will receive teas that fully meet your expectations, even without having tested their scent first. 

Moreover, when you choose our quality products, you also get personalized advice on how to brew each of them (brewing time, date temperature). In this way, you have all the keys in hand to prepare delicious drinks!

Knowing how to differentiate between full-bodied teas and more subtle teas. 

Once you are sure that you are facing a quality tea brand like Compagnie & Co, ask yourself the right questions to make a choice that you will no regret later on. 

Our stores offers a wide range of black teas, green teas, white teas, rooibos and infusions among other.

Thee is no tea that is better than the others, each one has its own assets and a unique character. But to choose, you need to know your tastes and desires.

For example, if you prefer full-bodied flavors, black tea will suit you better, knowing that there are stronger and weaker black teas. If you are looking for subtlety, white tea may be more suitable... But if you want a little bit of sweetness, a fruity rooibos may be better! As you can see, the ideal tea is above all the one you want, the one that makes you happy.

Knowing the origin

The region in which a tea is produced is an important criterion, because the growing conditions have a serious impact on the taste. For example, a black tea from Assam is grown at a low altitude which makes it possible to have a raw material renewed for its powerful taste. On the other hand, Darjeeling black tea, which comes from the foothills of the Himalayas is finer to the palate, and is called the champagne of tea. 
Some areas are know for specific characteristics. For example, Long Jing green tea, which comes from China, is rather sweet, but also subtle in the mouth. In Japan, green tea is sweeter most of the time... You should not hesitate to try several alternatives to experience an appreciable taste journey. 

Some tips to choose the different teas

Whether you are looking for a green tea, a black tea, a white tea or an organic tea, this information can help you make your choice in the most informed way possible. 

Choosing a green tea

Generally speaking, it is often recommended to consume green tea in order to take advantage of its numerous benefits for the body. Its leaves are full of vitamins, minerals and even amino acids. At the same time, they contain significant amounts of antioxidants : poyphenols help slow down the effet of aging and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. 
If you want to add the "green tea" ritual to your habits, essentially to take care of your health, it may be appropriate to consume it without added flavors. This way you drink a more raw preparation, which will contain more beneficial ingredients. However, since it is important to always experience pleasure as well, it is not forbidden to buy more creative green teas (with fruity or floral notes for example) for gourmet pleasure. 
In terms of flavors, there are not only plain or fruity green teas. For example, you can also choose floral drinks, with cherry blossoms, jasmine or even cornflower petals, among others. But it is also possible top opt for spicy alternatives, using ingredients like cinnamon or even cardamon. Spices are known for their many health benefits, just like green tea. However, they are present in small quantities in an infusion : focus on the taste experience, knowing that green tea is in essence a healthy drink.

Choosing a black tea

Unlike green tea, which is only slightly oxidized, black tea is obtained after complete oxidation : the leaves are left to wither for several hours before turning back. They are then rolled on themselves in order to continue their oxidation - a method often used to go faster and produce larger quantities. Finally, the leaves are roasted, in order to prevent any fermentation process. 
As far as black tea is concerned, you can bet on Darjeeling : it is a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication). A product stamped with this label comes from one of the 87 gardens in the mountains around Darjeeling, an Indian city. But if you're an expert on the subject, you should know that not all Darjeeling teas are the same, because the period during which leaves were harvested can change a lot. The first harvest of the year result in fresher flavors, while those of the fall are more mature. 
Wondering whether to buy a Darjeeling or an English Breakfast when buying black tea? While Darjeeling is a highly regulated PGI, this is not the case for English Breakfast. It is often prepared with a blend of several types of black teas. The leaves may be crushed or broken. Those who are particularly fond of bitter drinks may prefer this stronger alternative. 

Choosing a white tea

From China, white tea although less wisp read than its competitors, was probably the first to be consumed : it requires the shortest and simplest processing after plucking. Indeed, the harvest takes place mainly in spring, then the leaves are left to wither for a few days, before being dried for an optional conservation. The beverages prepared with this leaves are reputed to be rare, but also particularly sweet and pleasant to the palate.
If you are looking for an exceptional tea to please a tea lover, you may want to check out "Pai Mu Tan". This tea is grown in the Fujian province of China and is always harvested in the spring. It is known for its slightly sweet and very smooth taste. We can also mention the "Bai Hao Yin Zen" : this one is always based on an imperial harvest. This means that it is very selective, since only the buds and the first leaves are collected. 
You can definitely bet on white tea if you are looking for a refund idea to please a loved one, or to vary the pleasures at the time of your snack or tea break of the day. Whatever the reference you choose, don't forget that it is always a rather fragile tea, which should not be left to infuse in water at a temperature higher than 80°C. 

Choosing an organic tea

If you wish to order on the Compagnie & Co website, you can access a wide range of teas from organic farming. We are not content to rely on organic raw materials, since we also make sure to use only 100% local packaging, made in France, not to mention that our workshops have the ECOCERT certification.
Many people aspire to consume differently, and to adopt as much as possible reflexes that contribute to better protect our planet. This can naturally be done by choosing organic tea, a quality product, which depends on a cultivation that respects the environment, without fertilizers or chemicals. 
There are organic tea of all types, green, black, white, but also infusions. Whatever your taste preferences are, you are bound to find a beverage that will meet all your desires - but also your convictions - on the Compagnie & Co website.

Beyond the choice of tea, knowing how to prepare your drink

Once you have understood all the differences between teas and the specificities that characterize them, you can make your choice and select drinks that correspond to your expectations of the moment.

But once you have received them at home, always take the time to find out how to prepare the tea properly... Because a very good quality tea can lose its flavor if it is not brought to the right temperature - or if you do not adapt the brewing time, for example.

Take the time to read the instructions on all packages, and don't hesitate to look on the Internet for tips on what water to use and how to make your tea taste better. The accessories are also important, do not hesitate to discover our collection, "around the tea" where you will be able to choose the good teapot, the good tea ball or a pretty box of conservation.