Tea Glossary
Tea Glossary
Tea Tasting Terms
The world of tea could not manage without Tea Tasters (sometimes referred to as Tea Blenders). They make significant contributions throughout the production process of tea and right up until marketing. Both the flavour and the body of the tea are important as is the appearance of the leaves both before and after brewing; both are imperative in helping to define the quality.
Taste is a combination of several complex sensations. It mainly involves two of our sensory systems olfactory receptors (the nose) and gustatory receptors (the tongue).
Taste is intimately linked to our experiences and our eating habits, it enables us to perceive consciously or not the entire range of flavours while creating direct links between our past and present. Taste is not an infallible sense as our perceptions can change according to the context and environment and we are also directed by our own library or reference (what we are familiar with) for tastes.
Tea Notes
The smells released by tea are not perceptible at the same time or in the same way. Their degree of volatility changes their persistence and tells us how the taste of tea evolves
Head Notes
Volatile notes that are often fleeting and us our first impression of the taste of a tea. We perceive them immediately
Body Notes
The notes we perceive when the liquid is in our moth. They structure the liquid and give it its character. Powerful and stable they are responsible for the overall impression we have of a tea.
Tail Notes
Remain in the mouth and linger in aromas after the liquid is swallowed
However you do not have to be a professional tea taster to try and identify the various flavours present in your own home brewed tea. With experience, you'll notice that the depth of taste expands. Probably the most critical aspect of tasting is simply does it taste good to you? Ultimately, unless you are looking to work for a Tea Company, the goal of tasting is to find the ideal cup to fit your palate. So scroll through glossary below and have some fun with trying to express what the taste of your tea is like.
Ample: Round texture, generous liquid quiet long in the mouth.
Aromatic: Rich in aroma, very fragment
Astringent: Pungent, hard or full bodied character creates a drying feeling in the mouth
Biting: Describes a feeling of astringency that is acidic and strong
Body: Describes a texture that has presence and coats the mouth
Bold: Possessing a well-defined, instantly discernible character
Brisk: Possessing a great liveliness with a touch of acidity
Complex: Very rich in aromas with many subtle qualities
Delicate: Light and refined
Fresh: A liquid that gives a feel of freshness and can be a little acidic
Full: Quality of a liquid that fills the mouth and has persistence
Full-bodied: Possessing body
Generous: Supported by a rich aromatic intensity
Heady: Rich and complex
Heavy: Fragrance that is felt in the back of the mouth and feels dense
Intense: Strong power presence
Light: Supple and without body
Long: With a long finish and quality of a well structured liquid
Mild: Silky supple velvety not astringent and sometimes associated with sweet
Opulent: Rich round heady fragrance
Powerful: With a lot of strength and full-bodied
Pungent: Creating a feeling of astringency that is harsh and coarse
Raw: Slightly acidic liquid
Refined: Possessing delicacy and subtlety
Robust: A strong constitution with a lot of body
Rough: A liquid that is too astringent and is unpleasant
Round: Describes a supple silk slightly tannic liquid that fills the mouth
Runny: A supple smooth liquid that has little body
Sharp: Brisk slight acidic character
Short: Possessing aromas that fade quickly
Silky: The liquid has a supple texture
Smooth: Light texture without roughness
Structured: Well–structured tannic liquid, full and strong, full bodied but not coarse or
Subtle: Refined yet complex
Sustained: An aroma that has a persisting presence
Tannic: Describes a liquid that has a pleasant feeling of astringency
Velvety: Thick and pleasantly heavy
Vigorous: Slightly acidic with no softness
Warm: Round comforting liquid with no acidity
Watery: With a texture like water
Young: Describes a rather green character immature sometimes a little acidic