How do you determine the age and tenderness of Tea leaves? Evaluating their appearance is quite important. However, the main factors for assessing the age and tenderness are the ratio of buds to leaves and the quality of the leaves themselves, among other considerations. 
It's important to pick leaves with uniform age and tenderness so that the finished product has a higher-quality appearance. Conversely, if the fresh leaves picked are uneven in age and tenderness, the quality of the finished tea will be lower. During the stir-frying process, this can easily lead to the loss of downy hairs.
The greater the ratio of buds to tender leaves, the higher the tenderness of the tea. However, even within the same type of tea, there can be variations in the thickness, length, and size of the buds and tender leaves. Therefore, these characteristics alone cannot be used to evaluate the tea's qualities.
How to Determine the Age and Tenderness of Tea Leaves
1. Examine the Quality of the Tea Leaves:
Besides visual inspection and smelling, tasting is also an essential part of evaluation. Take about 3 grams of tea leaves, place them in a teacup, and add hot water at a ratio of 50-60 milliliters per gram. Cover the cup. After five minutes, pour the tea into another cup, leaving the leaves in the original cup. Then, observe and assess the quality.
2. Smell the Aroma:
The aroma when wet is more pronounced than when dry. Wet-smelling involves smelling the aroma of the tea leaves left in the cup after pouring out the tea water. Lift the lid halfway and bring it close to your nose to distinguish between high and low, strong and weak, lasting or fleeting aromas, as well as whether they are pure or have off-flavors. Generally, fresh, intense, and lasting aromas indicate high quality. For example, high-grade Black Tea has a honey-like sweetness, Green Tea made from fine fresh leaves has a chestnut fragrance, Oolong Tea should combine the clarity of green tea with the fullness of black tea, scented tea should have a prominent floral scent that is pure, fresh, and lasting, and compressed teas should have a smoky aroma.
3. Observe the Color of the Infusion:
For black tea, a bright red color is preferred; for green tea, a clear green is ideal; for Oolong tea, a bright orange-yellow or golden hue is best; for scented tea, a light yellow and bright color is suitable; and for compressed teas, a bright and concentrated color is desirable. It's important to observe the color promptly, as the tea's color will darken as it cools and may become cloudy.
4. Taste the Flavor:
Black tea should be full-bodied and sweet; green tea should initially taste slightly astringent but then turn sweet, like an olive; oolong tea lacks the bitterness of black tea and the astringency of green tea, combining the sweetness and fullness of both; scented tea should have a fresh flavor enhanced by a prominent floral aroma with a slight astringency; and compressed teas should have a rich and full-bodied flavor. Teas that taste bland or have a grassy flavor are of lower quality.
5. Examine the Leaf Residue:
Finally, remove all the leaf residue from the cup and place it on the cup lid or a special black leaf tray for evaluation. For black tea, copper-red, bright, and consistent leaf residues indicate high quality, while dull and greenish residues indicate poor quality. For green tea and scented tea, bright green or yellow-green, consistent leaf residues indicate good quality, while dark green, dull, and with red stems and veins indicate poor quality. Examining the leaf residue helps accurately determine the age, uniformity, cleanliness, and the quality of the tea-making process. A higher proportion of young buds and tender leaves indicates a premium tea, bright and glossy leaf residues indicate new tea, while dull and lusterless residues indicate aged tea.