Those who enjoy Drinking Tea should be aware that when purchasing Tea leaves or choosing their favorite tea sets, the process is akin to a traditional Chinese medical diagnosis. It can be broken down into four steps: inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiry, and palpation. So, how do you select good tea using these methods?

1. Inspection – Identifying Dry Tea

Observe the dry tea in a tea presentation dish or, if unavailable, on a white porcelain plate. Look at the color, shape, and uniformity of the leaves. The dry tea contains original information about the raw materials, processing, and storage conditions of the tea.

The quality of the tea can be assessed based on its uniform appearance, lustrous color, and the presence of broken leaves or twigs. You can also identify the quality of different teas by their unique shapes.

For example, Longjing (Dragon Well) tea is made from fine young buds; the presence of coarse twigs would indicate issues with the raw materials.

If the tea has scorch marks or spots, or if it has deviated from its normal color, this could suggest problems during processing.

If there are visible signs of mold or a musty smell even before brewing, it is likely due to poor storage and the tea should not be consumed.

2. Auscultation and Olfaction – Smelling Dry and Wet Tea

The aroma of tea can be divided into two types: dry and wet. High-quality tea should not have a grassy or unusual odor when dry. After brewing, good tea should have a fresh, rich aroma without any off-odors.

You can smell the lid, the tea liquor, and the bottom of the cup after the tea has cooled. Carefully distinguish between the purity, intensity, longevity, and type of the aroma.

Purity refers to whether the aroma is clean and free from any off-odors. Off-odors include smoke, scorched, stale, and moldy smells.

Intensity refers to whether the aroma is high-pitched and noticeable or low and faint. A subtle orchid fragrance or a concentrated aroma belongs to the higher-end category, so don't misinterpret it.

Longevity refers to the persistence of the aroma. If the aroma drops quickly after several infusions, it lacks persistence. If the aroma remains good after multiple infusions, it indicates good persistence and durability.

Type is determined by the origin, raw material, variety, production method, and region. Each type of tea has its own distinct flavor profile.

3. Inquiry – Gathering Information

When purchasing tea, consider its authentic origin and corresponding variety. For instance, Dragon Well tea produced in areas like Shifeng, Longjing Village, Wuyun Mountain, Hupao, and Meijiawu in the West Lake District is recognized as being from the core traditional production area. It's also helpful to know where other famous teas originate:

West Lake Dragon Well – Zhejiang Province, West Lake District;

Biluochun – Dongting Mountain, Wu County, Jiangsu Province;

Xinyang Maojian – Cheyun Mountain, Xinyang, Henan Province;

Junshan Yinzhen – Junshan Island, Yueyang, Hunan Province;

Huangshan Maofeng – Huangshan, Anhui Province;

Wuyi Rock Tea – Wuyi Mountains, Fujian Province;

Zhengshan Xiaozhong – Tongmu Pass, Wuyi Mountains, Fujian Province;

Keemun Black Tea – Qimen, Anhui Province;

Duyun Maojian – Duyun, Guizhou Province;

Tieguanyin – Anxi, Fujian Province;

Luan Guapian – Qiyun Mountain, Lu'an and Jinzhai, Anhui Province.

4. Palpation – Tasting and Observing the Leaves

When tasting tea, pay attention to the presence of off-flavors, freshness, strength, coarseness, thickness, complexity, and aftertaste. Compare the concentration, tenderness, oiliness, and aftertaste across multiple infusions to determine its durability.

Off-flavors primarily refer to musty, scorched, or grassy tastes resulting from poor handling during the fixation or rolling processes.

Freshness refers to the fresh and refreshing taste, which is related to the raw materials and storage conditions.

Strength, also known as stimulating power, is an indication of the concentration of substances within the tea infusion.

Coarseness refers to whether the mouthfeel is rough or smooth.

Thickness refers to the viscosity of the tea liquor; thin and watery tea lacks body.

Complexity refers to the changes in taste experienced while sipping the tea.

Aftertaste refers to the sweet sensation that follows the bitterness of the tea, a characteristic of good tea when the bitterness dissipates quickly and is followed by a refreshing sweetness.

While tasting, also observe the infused leaves. Good quality is indicated by intact, soft, thick, and tender leaves with visible buds. Poor quality is indicated by thin, hard leaves with a dull color.