With the world of tea opening up, we’re here to help you navigate the exciting terrain of tea by finding out more about all the different ways in which our quality teas are evaluated, sniffed, smelled, slurped… and how we describe the different tea sensations.
Tea: the dried and prepared leaves of a shrub, Camellia sinensis, from which a somewhat bitter, aromatic beverage is prepared by infusion in hot water. After water, it is the most widely consumed drink in the world
Brew: to prepare tea by steeping, boiling or by infusion in hot water. Its the alchemical magic when boiling water meets your tea leaves.
Blend: The mixtures of tea leaves with flowers, herbs, spices, and/or other substances, or teas that have added natural or artificial flavorings or aromas. In a layman’s persona, the art of tea blending simply means “fusing flavors”.
Grading: Grading system is the process of evaluating products based on the quality and condition of the tea leaves themselves. It ensures that the tea leaves are sifted and searched through to ensure the highest quality. Black teas are graded and sold according to leaf or particle size
Estate: An extensive area of land where tea is grown.
Flush: It is defined to be all about tea leaves and the perfect time to pick them.
Liquor: Another word for the liquid which is received by brewing or steeping tea leaves in water
High tea: A considerably late afternoon or early evening light meal at which tea is served.
Broken: Broken is the term for small-leaved tea. It is smaller than leaf tea but larger than fannings.
Rolling : The object of rolling is to macerate the leaf so that the enzymes and their substrates get intimately mixed up. This is achieved mechanically either by the use of an orthodox roller, the rotorvane, or by CTC (crushing,tearing and curling) machines. Rolling ruptures the cell wall thereby enabling the production of enzymes.
Sorting : Sorting may be defined as a procedure in which particles of bulk tea are separated into grades of different sizes. This sizing can be done either manually or by using different sizing equipments. Sorting meshes of various sizes are used to grade the tea.
Withering : It is a procedure which brings about physical and chemical changes in the shoots to produce quality, apart from conditioning the flush for rolling by reducing turgor, weight and volume. this process is generally achieved either by thinly spreading the flush on mats, or in thick layers in troughs for 8-18 hours depending on the condition of the leaves.
Fannings: Fannings are a small leaf grade, of granular consistency, very economical, mainly used in tea bags. They are high in tannin but lower in quality and character than larger grades.
CTC: Crushing, Tearing, Curling
Dust: The smallest leaf grade consisting of fine particles, Usually high in tannin but low in character.
First Flush: The first shoots of the year, the first time when the leaves are ‘flushed’ out on screens to be processed. Mild, fresh and flowery taste with a pale liquor.
Second Flush: The second main harvest period of the year, the time when the leaves are ‘flushed’ out on screens to be processed. The second flush has a fuller, nut/grape-like and stronger taste than the first flush.