Quite a handful! But here are some more popular green tea varieties to get you start! But remember, this tea is graded by quality.
If you are not sure which is more high-quality, just remember that whole-leaf is much more valued than broken leaf. This tip ought to narrow your options down a bit.
Photo courtesy of geekgirlunveiled
Dragon well
The tea leaves are plucked before the rainy season (in the middle of March to the beginning of April). The dried leaves appear white with a hint of yellow. This tea tastes a bit fruity. When adding hot water, the leaves gradually open and expose many tiny puds inside.
Pine needle tea
When brewed, the tea appears transparent with a hint of green.
Polee tea
After brewing, the tea appears dark yellow with a touch of orange. This tea has a strong and bold taste. This tea is good for the stomach and helps digestion.
Young Hyson (sometimes it’s also known as Young Hyson)
This tea is named after an East Indian business man who first sold green tea in England. The dried product contains mostly young and medium-aged leaves. They have yellowish-green color. The leaves are rolled into long and thin needles. This tea has a rich and pungent taste.
Pearl Tea (sometimes known as Pinhead Gunpowder)
The dried tea leaves appear slightly green. It has a pleasant taste with a touch of bitterness. But the bitterness will gradually decrease once your palate get used to the tea.
Pi Lo Chun
This tea is a rare and expensive tea from China. The dried tea leaves appear slightly green. This tea sometimes has a fruity fragrance. To acquire these fragrance, other fruit plants such as peaches and plum are planted around the tea plants so the leaves can be scented before harvesting.
Matcha
This tea has Japanese origin and often used in Japanese tea ceremonies. Matcha is powdered green tea. When dissolving in water, it can be quite thick. Matcha has a somewhat tangy taste.
Jasmine
This type is a mix between green and black tea. The tea leaves are scented with Jasmine blossoms. It tastes great with spicy foods.
Sensa
This green tea is a common tea in Japan.
Hojicha
This tea is made up of large tea leaves. The leaves are roasted in the oven during processing. This tea has a somewhat pleasant fragrance and fruity flavor.