The present invention relates to a process of producing a long leaf tea product with black tea characteristics. The process comprises the steps of: (a) incubating fresh tea leaf at a temperature in the range 4 °C to 60 °C under anaerobic conditions for a period of 4-36 hours； and (b) exposing the leaf at a temperature of 15-35 °C for 70 minutes to 4 hours； wherein there is no step of comminution of the tea leaf before incubation and/or before step (b).
