TASTING NOTES

Tasting is a subjective art and even experts can disagree on the vagaries of character of the tea. However, prima facie, we want to establish a meticulous and practiced process for tasting to systematically understand "taste." To us, the tasting of tea is the methodical act of understanding each facet of the varietal's effect on our senses: character, body, aroma, finish, liquor and pedigree.

It is best to taste when you are in the right mindset - for many of us, that entails when we are full of energy and creativity. Just as with wine, taste varietals are related. It's a good introduction to taste a variety of teas (green, black, white, oolong, herbal, and tisane) in an informal cupping as a general tasting, but we taste horizontally (teas of similar nature from various gardens) to properly evaluate teas used for blending. For a completely objective assessment, arrange for each varietal to be tasted blind and away from the appreciative noises of your fellow tasters. The idea is to avoid being influenced by the tea's pedigree which, as in wines, is of great influence even to the experts.

TEA TASTING SETS

We suggest porcelain tasting sets which are composed of a small-lidded brewing vessel with a sawtooth edge that holds back the leaves when pouring into a small, round cup. If you don't have a tasting set, use something similar and keep the amount of tea consistent: 3 g per 8 oz and note water temperature. If you have a tasting set, mimic the tasters, who will use 5 to 6.5 g in this special tasting vessel. The sample is left to infuse (with the lid on) for 5 minutes (for black teas) and the liquor of the tea is decanted into the small, round cup. Turn the vessel upside down so the leaves will fall onto the lid, which is then displayed.

Make sure you are using the same temperature water (invest in a good thermometer) as you prepare each tea sample. Within our blending program, we have a complicated matrix to determine the optimal tasting conditions (weight, temperature, and infusion time) for each specific raw ingredient. Extensive notes are compiled and then stored with photos, lot numbers, and production dates within our centralized procurement database. Different blenders and tasters specialize in aromatics, blends, and single estates which are then further categorized according to country of origin, region, and finally split off into usage (blending for colour, character, body, or aroma). Each taster has their tasting area of expertise - there are literally millions of combinations of teas and herbs and as such, specialization is critical to sophisticated blending.

SLURP AND SPIT

Slurp and spit, but don't drink the tea. If you drink the tea, by the time you taste the fifth or sixth tea, you are left with little more than a hazy impression of its character. After all the tea varietals are ready to be evaluated, use a large spoon to scoop the tea, and slurp it into your mouth. Suck the liquid back sharply onto the back of your palate, roll the infusion around your mouth, and spit it out.

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO DRINK BAD TEA

Taste the best. Ordinary loose teas are fine for drinking but not for waxing poetic. Stay away from any interfering foods and drinks when tasting. You can "cleanse" your palate with a sip of water. We are especially strict about food and beverage consumption prior to tasting and as a general practice, taste on an empty stomach in the morning.

APPEARANCE, BOUQUET, FLAVOUR

When beginning, taste in a regular pattern by first examining the appearance of both dry and infused wet leaves; appreciate the bouquet, then the flavour. At each step, your tasting will be enhanced by knowledge of the tea's context: soil, climate, growing conditions, method of harvesting, and cultural tradition.

As you discover the world of tea, we suggest the most important variable is not the particular climate or conditions surrounding a particular varietal, but rather its care from harvest to arriving in your tea caddy. Tea, as opposed to wine, does not generally age gracefully. Tea is harmed by high temperature, moisture, light, and poor storage. Tea soaks up surrounding odours.

APPEARANCE: COLOUR, DEPTH AND CLARITY

Colour is a major factor in any blending program. We expect stronger teas to be darker and delicate teas to be lighter. However, this is not always an accurate rule and there is a high degree of variance between self-drinking teas.

BOUQUET

Bouquet is known as the subtlety of tea. Nose, or aroma, of the tea infusion is especially important in teas such as Darjeeling and scented teas. As with wines, we try to develop and nurture the bouquet and pay careful attention to balance appearance and flavour. Your first impression is the most accurate. The bouquet should be clean (no contamination) and complex.

FLAVOUR: TASTE

This gustatory stage is the pinnacle. Taste should confirm and complement the tea's appearance and bouquet. We encourage you to use our simplified tasting chart to keep notes on each tasting.

TEA GRADING SYSTEM

The methodology employed for tealeaf grading has only slightly evolved over the decades. Grading sets a standard whereby we can buy a particular variety of tea and have confidence that the tea's infusion is within the range of the same grade in the last harvest.

01 COUNTRY AND ESTATE

Tea is first categorized according to the country and estate in which it is grown. The estate is important, just as with wineries. Estates tell us about the tea because not all growers are equal. Since tea character is derived from its geography and environment, poor weather in a region can affect the harvest. Generally, we think of good tea as grown high up in the mountains, shrouded by mist with dancing sunbeams to encourage fresh, young shoots. Aside from being poetic, this is true - soil (acidity, richness, and composition), temperature, humidity, and rain make their influence known in the infusion.

02 HARVEST SEASON

Next, we classify tea according to the season of harvest. In China, we tend to prefer teas picked before the Ching Ming festival, or before the spring rains. In India, there are spring (1st), summer (2nd), and fall (3rd) harvests. For black teas, summer harvest is stronger and greatly preferred by our blending team for its complexity and rich bouquet. For unfermented green teas and low-fermentation oolongs, we tend to prefer late spring harvests.

03 ELEVATION (THE HIGHER THE BETTER)

In Sri Lanka (Ceylon), teas are also classified by their elevation with the best tea grown in the mountains at 4,000 feet, medium tea grown as ideal for blending 1,000-4,000 feet, and low tea grown below 1,500 feet. Generally, higher grown teas are more complex and delicate.

04 WHOLE LEAF OR BROKEN

Now that we are down to the tea itself, we categorize tea as being whole leaf or broken. We look to their moisture content (dryness), crispness, and the style of twist or roll. Hand-rolled leaves are superior to machine-rolled, just as hand harvesting is the preserve of the highest quality grades with CTC (cut-torn-crushed) dominating for mass production.

Whole leaves are used exclusively by specialty tea companies and are prized for their character and infusion. Broken leaves can be used in blends (especially if you are blending for a strong and malty cup) but are generally left to the mass production teabag companies.

This is a sharp distinction - most tea bought in the West is in teabag format, which is convenient but yields a duller and flatter cup compared to loose tea infusion. Teabag companies sell their products in supermarkets. Loose tea purveyors tend to be great lovers of tea who are passionate about drinking good tea.

Also watch out for "non-tea" in your tea purchases. It's common to see twigs, stems, and broken leaves mixed with whole leaves. This is not a sign of good quality as twigs and stems do not add to the flavour or aroma - instead they can be quite "woody" and have many undesirable characteristics. So why don't tea gardens and tea companies sift out the twigs and stems? Cost. Twigs and stems add weight and density to your tea. As well, it is very labourious to sift out all these non-flavour adding materials.

We hope you enjoyed this brief primer on tasting and understanding teas.