Tas-Tea – How To Taste Tea Like A Professional

For many tea lovers, nothing is more comforting than a warm cup on a cold day. Whether you prefer black tea, green tea, herb or chamomile tea – a soothing cup is all you need to feel instantly revitalised. However, apart from casual tea drinking, some professionals have made it their lives’ career to taste tea, often consuming thousands of varieties in order to select the tastiest tea in India.

Tea is an extremely complex flavour. It can almost be compared to wine in its number of varieties and different preparations, which is why an arena for professional tea tasting exists in the first place. Not everyone has the time or patience to fully learn about the intricacies of tea tasting. However, there are a few simple tips that will help you pick up certain aspects of different tea flavours and start discerning between them.

Here are some tips on how to taste tea like a professional and elevate your tea drinking experience!

First Impressions and Brewing

Before drinking, start with observing the tea. Have a look at its colour, consistency, and texture. Is it dark or light? Is it clear or does it have some residue in it? You can even start with the tea leaves when dealing with loose-leaf tea – check how moist or dry it is, how strong of a flavour it emanates, and more. These will help develop an overall sense of the beverage you are about to drink.

Smell the tea

The best way to smell the tea is by the deep inhalation method in which you hold your teacup to your nose and take a deep inhalation. Make sure you exhale to the side so that you don’t blow away the aroma. Make a note of the aroma – does it have a strong or a light aroma? Does it smell fruity, woody, or any other tasting notes?

Sipping the tea

Your first sip of tea should be a small one. Don’t be in a rush to take a big gulp. You can even give it a little slurp to capture some air in your mouth to cool it down. What’s more, when you take a sip, don’t rush to swallow it – let it rest in your mouth for a few seconds, as you take in the different flavours and textures. Does it feel rich, or watery? Is it smooth or can you feel some residue?

Slowly swallow

After you’ve given yourself some time to feel how the liquid tastes, you can slowly swallow the tea to check its texture on your throat. Wait a few seconds to see what the aftertaste feels like. Following this, you can repeat the process and take another sip to see if it tastes the same.

Tasting tea like a professional involves training your palate to capture the nuances in different tea flavours. It is an art and skill that takes time to develop, so make sure you give yourself time to learn! Experiment with different flavouring agents and spices to enrich the taste, and take notes of every type of tea you try.

Most importantly, in order to ensure that your tea tasting experience is that of a professional, you need to ensure that the quality of tea you buy is excellent – don't just settle for store bought brands!

One of the best ways of doing this is buying tea online. From local shops like the Munnar Tea Shop, you are assured of buying tea of the highest quality and getting your money’s worth as well. From black tea to green tea, breakfast tea and matcha tea, there is no dearth of options to choose from. So, here’s an opportunity to get started on your tasting journey and also learn a few things about tea which can help you strike up a conversation with your fellow tea lovers!