Black tea was undoubtedly born in China, probably at the end of the 16th century. It is generally associated with the regions around the Wuyi Mountains in Fujian Province in the southeastern part of the country. Exactly how it was invented is not known. According to legend, as is often the case, it was the result of a mistake. Someone accidentally forgot to heat the tea leaves, and they began to oxidise. In all likelihood, its early development was closely linked to that of Oolong tea.

What has had great significance for its spread, both historically and in recent years, is its excellent export qualities. Black tea is far more durable than green tea and was therefore better suited to long journeys. Black tea has never been particularly popular in China, or in Japan for that matter. In the early 17th century, the first small shipments of black tea were sent to Europe by Dutch traders. Initially, black tea was a Western fascination that spread rapidly in the West, primarily through the Dutch East India Company.

It is largely the English who were the main drivers behind black tea from the start. They initially imported large quantities of black tea from China until they began producing their own tea in the colonies of India and Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) in the mid to late 19th century. Before that, China was actually the only country in the world producing black tea.

In addition to discovering and cultivating the Indian variety of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis assamica, the English also managed to acquire (or perhaps rather steal) Chinese tea plants and initiate the first production of tea outside China and Japan. The British botanist and adventurer Robert Fortune managed to penetrate the then relatively closed Chinese interior and, under what must have been very adventurous conditions, obtained tea plants which he, with the support of the British government, planted in India. Experiments with the plants and production were often highly demanding, but after many failures, professional production was developed, and when the industry was industrialised around the 1880s, the market also expanded globally.

The English developed the production and trade of black teas. In 1886, England imported a total of 77,000 tons of tea from China, but once production in India and Sri Lanka was fully underway, imports from China dropped dramatically and almost ceased by the late 20th century. Due to shipping advantages and the Western palate’s adaptation to the flavour, black tea became dominant—and it is essentially for this reason that we still primarily drink black tea today.

Even in Russia and neighbouring countries, including Mongolia, black tea is important, as it is in the former British colonies of India and Sri Lanka, where black tea is virtually the only type consumed. In China, very little black tea is consumed despite significant production, as most is exported. Black tea is also produced in countries such as Russia, Turkey, and Iran (mainly for domestic consumption), and during the 20th century, African countries, led by Kenya, emerged as major producers of black tea. High-quality varieties are not yet common, but that is likely only a matter of time.