Disclosed is a process for manufacturing leaf tea. The process comprising the steps of: providing a supply of fresh tea leaves comprising catechins； macerating the fresh tea leaves to produce dhool； fermenting the dhool for a first fermentation time sufficient to reduce the content of catechins in the dhool to less than 50% of the content of catechins in the fresh tea leaves prior to maceration on a dry weight basis before expressing juice from the dhool thereby to produce leaf residue and tea juice； contacting at least part of the tea juice with at least part of the leaf residue to provide a tea mixture； and then drying the tea mixture to produce the leaf tea.
