To discern the quality of black Tea, one should primarily consider four aspects: first, the appearance. Good Black Tea has a clean and uniform shape with tightly bound leaves, while inferior tea has loose and uneven leaves with a messy coloration; second, good tea has a rich and layered aroma, whereas poor-quality tea has a weak fragrance with heavy impurities; third, good tea has a clear and bright infusion, not murky, whereas inferior tea is murky; fourth, good tea has a uniformly red or coppery Leaf base that feels soft and tender.

Criteria for Assessing Black Tea:

1. Texture: High-quality black tea feels coarse or solid but light, while inferior black tea feels light and loose.

2. Appearance: High-quality black tea has tightly bound, whole, and clean leaves with a lustrous dark color, while inferior black tea has loose and fragmented leaves with a dull color.

3. Aroma: High-quality black tea has a high and long-lasting fragrance, while inferior black tea has a low and dull aroma.

4. Infusion Color: High-quality black tea has a bright red infusion, while inferior black tea has a pale and dull red infusion.

5. Taste: High-quality black tea has a sweet and full-bodied taste, while inferior black tea tastes bland.

How to Select Black Tea

1. Connoisseur Black Tea (Gongfu Black Tea)

Connoisseur black tea with tightly bound, fine, and straight leaves, uniform in size; a lustrous dark color with a glossy appearance; a rich, fresh, and pure fragrance; a full-bodied taste and a bright red infusion; and bright, red leaves is considered superior.

Conversely, those with loose and uneven leaves, inconsistent coloration, an impure fragrance, a less transparent infusion, a murky color, a rough and bland taste, and dark-colored leaves are considered inferior.

Among connoisseur black teas, Anhui Qimen black tea is particularly prized, while others such as Zhenghe Gongfu, Tan Yang Gongfu, and Bailin Gongfu are also well-known both domestically and internationally as high-quality black teas.

2. Broken Black Tea

High-quality broken black tea has uniformly sized particles, tightly rolled broken leaves, straight whole leaves, thickly folded pieces, and granular fannings that feel solid; it does not contain pieces or fannings in the broken leaves, nor fannings in the pieces, nor dust in the fannings; the sizes of the broken, piece, whole, and fannings must be clearly distinguished; it has a high fragrance with fruity, floral, and sweet jasmine-like aromas that can still be smelled when tasting; a concentrated, strong, and refreshing infusion; and bright red leaves that are quite tender. Broken black teas with these characteristics are usually of high quality.

Conversely, those with gray or yellowish colors, a pale infusion, a low fragrance, and a dark and murky color are of lower quality.

3. Souchong Black Tea

High-quality Souchong black tea has sturdy and evenly sized leaves, a lustrous dark color, a special smoky aroma, a mellow taste, a bright red infusion, and leaves that are a coppery color.

Conversely, if the aroma is off, the infusion is murky, and the leaf color is dark and dull, the Souchong black tea is likely of inferior quality.