Tea time has to be one of the best parts of the day. Who doesn’t love a warm cup of jasmine tea after lunch? Whether you’re new at making tea or have been sipping at it for years, it’s important to be able to identify higher-quality loose-leaf teas from the rest. High-quality tea has a much more palatable flavor, beautiful color, and longevity.

Here’s how you can tell whether your tea is high-quality or not:

Sight

The way that your tea leaves look can tell you a lot about the tea’s quality. From the size of the grains to the kind of leaves, your tea leaves will help you determine the tea’s quality. If you’re buying a leafy tea, choose the one with unbroken leaves. If the leaves are broken, it might be because they were harvested with a machine, which makes them more bitter once they’re brewed. Make sure you get a full-leafed tea instead!

If you’re a black tea-lover, you need to remember that the broken leaves are deliberate to give the final brew a certain flavor.

When it comes to particles, go for teas with larger particles since they’re usually of higher quality. Stay away from fannings—these tiny particles are like a residue of large particle teas found in low-grade blends.

Touch

Pick up a handful of the tea leaves and check the texture—whether it’s coarse or smooth, light or heavy, or whether it crumbles easily or not. Green tea leaves should be smooth to the touch, and wet leaves should feel tender. If your tea crumbles upon touch, it’s of lower quality and has been baked too long.

Smell

You need to consider both wet and dry teas when picking out a tea—they both have different smells. Your tea’s fragrance is just as important as the taste since they must complement each other. If your tea doesn’t have a notable scent, it isn’t high-quality. Choose a tea that smells light and fresh.

Looking for high-quality tea?

Red Bud Coffee & Tea has got you covered! We source our tea leaves through ethical and sustainable means to help you brew the most delicious cup of tea you’ve ever tasted! We pay close attention to the quality of our tea blends to make sure that you have a luxurious experience. Our products include Scottish breakfast tea, black tea, herbal fruit tea, and organic mint green tea.

Visit our website and shop today!