How To Determine The Quality Of A Tea

Every day, millions of people all over the world enjoy the wonderful taste and health benefits of drinking tea. There are many types and styles to choose from, so we thought it might be helpful to explain how to determine the quality of a tea. We might dive into what a microscope could reveal in a future post, but for now we’ll focus on just the visual characteristics that will help identify the quality of any tea.

There are many variations in the way the different teas are harvested prepared, from the first crop being delicately hand picked to later season harvests that are picked and processed by machines. Take a look at the following and you’ll have a good idea of the quality of the tea you are purchasing.

Particle Size.

The size of tea particles can vary from very small powdery particles to delicately rolled full sized leaves. Normally, larger particles indicate a higher quality tea. Fannings are small pieces of tea that are left over after higher grades have been gathered. These fannings are also sometimes referred to as “dusts” and are used in the lowest grades of tea normally sold in tea bags.

Color.

Look for dark or bright full colors. Dull colors or color tints that don’t match with the tea (green tea that looks yellow) are an indication of a lower quality tea.

Aroma.

Lack of smell is an immediate giveaway of a low quality tea. Check for light, fresh, and soothing fragrances. If the tea has a good smell when first purchased, but quickly loses that aroma, it is a lower quality tea.

Taste.

Obviously taste is the most important judge of quality. Given a tea is prepared properly; it should taste fresh initially, with a pleasant aftertaste. Low quality teas can have a stale or musty flavor.

When you sit down and sip the teas we sell at Fusion Teas, you’ll immediately recognize the passion we have for providing only premium high quality teas. Our collection has more than 100 varieties of high quality loose leaf teas and tisanes, as well as many different and unique accessories to fit your needs and personality. When you purchase teas from us, you can be sure you are only getting the absolute best.