
First Impressions Count
As a tea taster, the first thing you do is inspect the dry tea. Surprisingly, a large proportion of our overall opinion is based on appearance. Here are a few things to look out for:
Shape - what are the bits of tea like? Small? Large?
Colour - is it all the same colour? Is it jet black? If it's all different colours then it might be a blend.
Texture - is it finely ground like dust? Is it crumbly? Sticky?
Tea Buds- can you see any?
Signs of a Good Loose Tea
• In black, white and green tea, look for gold or bronze flecks - these are the young leaves called tippy.
• Feel the tea between your fingers. It should crunch. This sound means it hasn't absorbed any moisture (or flavour) from the air around it.
• Buds.