Whether you are drinking Darjeeling tea or Assam blends, there are certain common tea-tasting terms. Do you know them? Avid tea lovers always have some terms in their vocabulary understanding which helps in knowing the flavor and nature of tea.

A Little Glossary Containing Tea Tasting Terms   

  1. Acidic – Tart and sour taste of tea
  1. Astringent – Pungent sensation caused by tannins in tea lingering in our mouth
  1. Aroma – Odor produced while brewing tea  
  • Body – Tactile nature of the weight of tea. It could be full, medium or light. It is often called fullness.
  • Bakey – It is an unpleasant characteristic obtained in tea liquor when the blend is heated at high temperature.
  • Bite – It is a desirable trait found in tea that is lively and brisk
  • Bright – Refreshing flavor of a tea
  • Biscuity – It is a strong trait of blends usually used for describing premium Assam blends
  • Character – Signature element of a blend. It can be its flavor or origin
  • Coppery – It describes the color of a tea liquor
  • Clean – It means pure flavor of tea without any off-tastes
  • Creaming Down – Top quality blends that turn cloudy
  • Flowery – Floral scent or flavor mostly found in high quality tea
  • Finish – It is the final taste of tea that lingers on the tongue after drinking it
  • Muscatel – This is a typical flavor of Darjeeling blends. the characteristic flavor like that of grapes  
  • Malty – This is a distinct feature of Assam teas. It is the sweet malt flavor of Assam black blends
  • Soft – A tea with timid flavor
  • Smooth – A fine drinking experience of round-bodied teas
  • Thick – Tea having substance in it
  • Woody – It is the term that describes a particular flavor of tea
  • Vegetal – It is the characteristic feature of green blends. It refers to the taste that is marine, herby or grassy

A Short Glossary of Different Varieties of Teas

  • Autumnal – Liquor obtained from teas growing in autumn season.
  • Assam – Strong flavored black teas originating Assam
  • Blend – A mixture of two or more variants of teas from different origin
  • Black tea – The most common variety of tea that is completely oxidized.
  • Ceylon teas – Blends cultivated in Sri Lanka.
  • Broken Orange Pekoe – It is the size of tea leaves consisting of tips and small leaves.
  • CTC – It designates the process of making Assam black tea.
  • Chai – It is a black tea preparation with milk.
  • Darjeeling – Premium quality blends harvested in Darjeeling.
  • English Breakfast – A type of tea
  • Golden Tip – A Feature in blends because of good harvesting.
  • Oolong – A variety of tea which is partially withered fermented and oxidized.

So, now you have an idea about the different terms used in tea industry.