Tea enthusiasts who have purchased tea before are likely aware that spring tea boasts the highest nutritional value and the best quality among teas from all seasons. This is why many buyers ask, "Is this freshly harvested spring tea from this year?"

Although spring tea is of the highest quality, this doesn’t mean all spring teas on the market are good. Some dishonest merchants may pass off inferior teas as spring tea.

Therefore, tea lovers should be extra vigilant when purchasing tea and learn to distinguish genuine spring tea. Here are a few small suggestions for identification that may serve as a reference.

1. Visual Inspection.

Focus on the shape, color, and cleanliness of the dry tea leaves. Authentic spring tea has uniform, clean leaves with minimal impurities. The uniformity of the dry tea reflects the quality of the raw material—unevenness indicates the presence of other tea fragments, dust, or foreign matter.

The color should be close to the natural hue of fresh leaves. If the tea appears dull or dark, it is likely not fresh.

2. Tactile Assessment.

Feel the tea leaves to assess their dryness. Dry, crisp leaves indicate well-preserved quality, while dampness suggests possible moisture damage. Additionally, evaluate the weight—tea leaves rich in content and substance tend to feel heavier.

3. Olfactory Test.

Smell the dry tea to detect its aroma and check for any off-odors. Genuine spring tea has a pure fragrance without strange smells. If you detect oily, musty, sour, smoky, or burnt odors, the tea may have been contaminated during processing or storage.

4. Taste Test.

When brewed, spring tea yields a clear, bright liquor with a pure aroma and no off-flavors. The taste is rich, fresh, and mellow, with minimal bitterness or astringency.

By applying these four methods, you can significantly increase the likelihood of purchasing authentic spring tea.

However, this is not an absolute guarantee. Tea enthusiasts must keep their eyes open and not be fooled by so-called "spring tea."