Tea Information

Attractive - Quality made with uniform color and size leaf.

Autumnal - A seasonal term applied to teas grown during the period.

Bakery - Unpleasant taste caused by excessive temperatures during the firing process resulting in a loss of moisture.

Body - A liquor possessing fullness/richness and strength.

Bold - Pieces of leaf that are too big for the grade it's in.

Bright - A cup displaying a "liveliness"-as opposed to dull and lifeless.

Brisk - A "live" taste in the liquor vs. flat or soft.

Burnt - An undesirable note in teas that have been exposed to excessive heat during processing.

Ceylon - This island off the coast of India produces superb teas. Currently known as Sri Lanka, it was once known only for its coffee. In 1867, a Scotsman named James Taylor, planted 19 acres of tea plant seeds and well, the rest is history.

Character - An intangible quality in a tea that identifies its origin of growth.

Chunky - A tea that possesses large sized tips - something to look for.

Color - A measure of the depth of the tea's physical color. Based on season/growth/grade factors.

Coppery - This term describes the color of the infused leaf and denotes quality.

Cream - The "cloudiness" one notices upon the cooling down of brewed tea. A bright color denotes quality.

CTC - "CUT-TORN-CRUSHED" In the name of efficiency, this mechanized method of harvesting the leaf replaced the kinder, gentler orthodox method sometime early in the 20th century.

Cut - A method of leaf production that utilizes a "breaker" as opposed to a "roller" AKA:Orthodox method.

Dry - Slightly bakey or high fired. Once again, a quality that denotes an over-processed tea.

Dull - Lacking in sheen/lifeless.

Even - This term applies to a bright, coppery tea that has no unevenness in color.


Top |  Next