Appearance:

Tight, slender, and slightly curved strips, uniform and neat are superior; coarse, loose strips with poor uniformity are inferior.

Color:

Reddish-brown, blackish and glossy are superior; dark brown, withered red, and inconsistent are inferior.

Aroma:

Rich, complex, and long-lasting aroma is superior; impure and low, stuffy aroma is inferior.

Liquor Color:

Bright, vibrant red liquor, possibly with a golden ring, is excellent; deep, dark, and turbid liquor is inferior.

Taste:

Mellow and robust taste is excellent; bitter, astringent, or bland taste is inferior.

Spent Leaves:

Bright, plump, and soft spent leaves are superior; bluish-dark spent leaves with impurities are inferior.