【Three Smells】

Namely, smelling dry, hot, and cold.

Dry Smell: Mainly smell the aroma type of the dry tea leaves, and check for any stale, moldy, or other absorbed odors.

Hot Smell: Refers to smelling the tea's fragrance while it's hot after brewing. Tea aromas can be sweet, roasted, fresh, floral, chestnut-like, fruity, etc. Each aroma type can further manifest as rich, lofty and clear, fresh and lively, elegant and subtle, pungent and sharp, pure and correct, light and mild, or peaceful.

Cold Smell: Refers to smelling the lid or the bottom of the cup after the temperature has cooled down. At this point, one can detect other scents that were masked when the aromatic compounds of the tea leaves volatilized heavily at high temperatures.

【Three Observations】

First Observation: The appearance, shape, and color of the tea leaves.

Good Rock Tea should have a tightly rolled, heavy, and solid appearance, with evenly shaped, full strips, free of impurities and yellow flakes. The color should be bluish-brown, glossy and bright, showing a "precious luster." Upon closer look, the leaf surface may have frog-skin-like granular white spots.

Second Observation: The liquor color.

Good Rock Tea, after brewing, should have a liquor color that is orange-yellow or reddish-orange, clear and bright, pleasing to the eye. Strong tea may show a bright amber color.

Third Observation: The tea base (brewed leaves).

The tea base refers to the opened tea leaves left in the pot after brewing and drinking. Good Rock Tea leaves become soft after brewing, with edges appearing dark red and the center showing a clear greenish color slightly tinged with yellow.

【Three Tastings】

Three Tastings: This means evaluating the intrinsic quality of Rock Tea by savoring and chewing the tea liquor.

First Taste: The 'fire skill' (roasting level), discerning whether it is 'sufficient fire,' 'over-fired,' or 'raw and green.' Rock tea with sufficient fire has a sugary aroma in the liquor, while over-fired Rock tea... So what is the second taste of Wuyi Rock Tea?

Second Taste: The flavor, discerning whether the tea liquor's taste is fresh and brisk, sweet and brisk, rich and mellow, mellow and thick, pure and correct, or thin and weak, plain and light, raw and astringent, or even bitter and astringent. Generally, good Rock Tea liquor feels smooth, moist, lubricated, and lively upon entering the throat, with a pronounced sweet aftertaste.

Third Taste: The 'Rock Rhythm' (Yan Yun). Apprehending the 'rock rhythm' is the distinctive feature of drinking Wuyi Rock Tea. One must comprehensively appreciate the four key elements in Wuyi Rock Tea: 'fragrance, sweetness, clarity, and liveliness,' especially the character of 'liveness.' Discern it carefully with the tongue, feel it from the base of the throat. One should be able to experience the delightful sensations of saliva generation under the tongue, sweetness returning in the mouth, refreshed spirit and clear mind, and a feeling of openness and joy.

【Three Aftertastes】

Three Aftertastes are the sensations a tea drinker experiences after tasting the tea. After drinking truly good tea, first, the root of the tongue reminisces a sweet taste, with the mouth full of saliva. Second, between the teeth and cheeks, one reminisces a sweet and mellow flavor, with the fragrance lingering for a long time. Third, the base of the throat reminisces a sweet and refreshing sensation, with energy channels feeling unobstructed. The internal organs feel moistened, making one feel relaxed, happy, and almost ethereal.