① Appearance: Tight, fine, and even strips indicate good quality. Conversely, loose, coarse strips with poor evenness indicate inferior quality.

② Color: Glossy, black, and lustrous color signifies good quality. Inconsistent color with dull, grayish, or withered tea leaves indicates inferior quality.

③ Aroma: A rich and fragrant aroma indicates good quality. An impure aroma with a grassy smell indicates inferior quality, while a dull and stuffy aroma signifies poor quality.

④ Liquor Color: A bright red liquor with a golden ring at the edge of the teacup is superior. A less bright liquor is inferior, and a deep, turbid liquor is poor.

⑤ Taste: A mellow taste is superior, a bitter and astringent taste is inferior, and a bland and coarse taste is poor.

⑥ Leaf Base: A bright leaf base indicates good quality, a bluish leaf base is inferior, and a dark leaf base with many black strips is poor.

Broken Black Tea: The quality of broken black tea emphasizes the inner qualities of liquor taste and aroma, with appearance being secondary.

① Appearance: Broken black tea should have a uniform appearance. Broken tea particles should be tightly rolled, leaf tea should have tight and straight strips, flake tea should be wrinkled and thick, and dust tea should be granular and heavy. The specifications of broken, flake, leaf, and dust tea should be distinct. Broken tea should not contain flake or dust tea, flake tea should not contain dust tea, and dust tea should not contain ash. The color should be black and lustrous or reddish-brown, avoiding grayish or yellowish tones.

② Taste: Evaluating the taste of broken black tea emphasizes the liquor quality, which refers to the degree of strength, intensity, and freshness. Concentration is the foundation of broken black tea quality, while freshness and intensity are its style. The liquor should be strong, intense, and fresh. If the liquor is weak, dull, or stale, the tea quality is inferior.

③ Aroma: High-grade broken black tea has a particularly high aroma, with fruity, floral, and jasmine-like sweet notes. When tasting, the tea aroma should still be perceptible. For example, Yunnan broken black tea in China possesses such an aroma.

④ Leaf Base: The leaf base color should be bright red and luminous for superior quality, and dull and mixed for inferior quality. The tenderness of the leaf base should be soft and even for superior quality, and coarse, hard, and mixed for inferior quality. For broken black tea, the emphasis is on the brightness of the leaf base, while tenderness is sufficient if adequate.

⑤ Liquor Color: A bright red liquor is superior, while a dark and turbid liquor is inferior. The depth and brightness of the liquor reflect the quality of the tea. The main components determining the liquor color are theaflavins and thearubigins. Tea cream (cooling-induced turbidity) is a sign of good liquor quality. Internationally, it is common to evaluate with added milk: add about one-tenth of the liquor volume of fresh milk to each cup. Excessive milk may hinder taste evaluation. After adding milk, a pinkish-bright or reddish-brown bright liquor is good; a light yellowish-red or light red is acceptable; dark brown, light gray, or grayish-white is poor. After adding milk, the tea should still have a distinct tea taste, indicating concentration. Upon sipping, there should be an immediate noticeable astringency in the cheeks, reflecting the intensity of the liquor. If only the milk taste is prominent and the tea taste is weak, the tea quality is poor.