Walk hand in hand with our master blender as he takes you behind the scenes with his brief primer on the hallmark of a great tea. Wine aficionados will find warm familiarity with the terms listed below. If your palate is already attuned to subtle nuances, you will similarly appreciate the same in your cuppa.

The trend here is that high quality teas will be on the right hand side of the spectrum, while low grade teas will be on the left. All of this boils down to the pedigree of the tea leaves as well as geographical factors that determine how the tea leaves were bred and harvested. To further guide your understanding on how to really “tell the difference”, here are some supplementary details to escort you in your next tea tasting adventure!

Character: What do you taste? Do you taste a single flavour (one-dimensional, simple note) or are your taste buds bursting with all kinds of sensations (indicating complexity)?

Body: This is the drink’s weight and substance in the mouth. Does it feel thick and full? Does it feel thin and lacking?

Aroma: The scent of the tea. Do you like the fragrance of your tea? Is it wonderfully intoxicating?

Finish: What kind of taste do you encounter at the end? Does the after-taste linger and continue to add to your understanding?

Liquor: What does the color of the tea look like? Is it bright, lustrous and clear, or dull and lifeless?

Now that you can critically evaluate each tea you drink with connoisseur-style, make sure you’re drinking only the best. As we say, “life’s too short to drink bad tea”. Wouldn’t you agree?

Carpe Diem!