How to Taste Loose Leaf Tea: A Simple Flavour Note Method

Quick answer: To taste loose leaf tea properly, brew two blends with the same water, dose, temperature and steep time. Notice the dry-leaf aroma, the fragrance after brewing, the first flavour, the weight or body of the tea, and the finish that remains after you swallow. Write down plain words you would actually use—such as citrus, mint, creamy, brisk or warming—then change only one brewing variable on the next cup.

Tea tasting does not need expert vocabulary

A useful tasting note is not a performance. It is a record that helps you choose a blend, brew it again and explain what you liked. “Bright lemon, gentle ginger warmth, clean finish” is more useful than a long list of flavours you cannot honestly detect.

My Life Tea blends combine tea bases and botanicals, so start by checking the product page for the named ingredients and caffeine wording. Then taste the cup in front of you. The label gives context; your senses decide whether the blend suits your routine.

Set up a fair side-by-side tasting

You need two clean cups, a kettle, an infuser, a timer and fresh water. Choose two contrasting blends from the full My Life Tea collection. A practical first comparison is a lighter green-tea profile such as Athena cherry and coconut green tea beside a deeper black-tea profile such as Zeus English Breakfast tea.

Keep the brewing variables consistent

• Use the same water in both cups.
• Measure the same quantity of loose leaf.
• Follow each pack’s temperature and steep-time guidance.
• Use cups of the same size and material.
• Taste without milk or sweetener first; add them later if that is how you normally drink the tea.

If the two tea bases require different temperatures, follow the label for each blend and record the difference. Fair tasting means controlled preparation, not forcing every tea into one recipe.

A simple five-part loose leaf tea tasting method

1. Look at the dry leaf

Before brewing, notice the size, colour and mix of the leaves and botanicals. Are the pieces fine or broad? Can you see fruit, petals or spices? Appearance cannot tell you whether a tea is “better”, but it helps connect ingredients with the flavours that appear later.

2. Smell the dry leaf and wet leaf

Smell the tea before water is added, then again after you remove the infuser. Warm, wet leaves often release aromas that were quiet in the dry blend. Keep your notes concrete: berry, toasted, grassy, floral, minty, vanilla, cocoa or spice.

3. Take a small first sip

Let the tea cool enough to taste comfortably. A very hot cup hides detail. Take a small sip and move it around your mouth. Ask what arrives first: sweetness, freshness, spice, bitterness, fruit or a roasted note?

4. Notice body and balance

Body means how the tea feels rather than what it tastes like. It might feel light and clean, rounded and silky, or full and brisk. Balance asks whether one ingredient overwhelms the rest. For example, Dionysus sweet berries green tea can be assessed by how the fruit character sits with the tea base, while Eros strawberry and chocolate invites a comparison between fruit, sweetness and cocoa-like depth.

5. Record the finish

The finish is what remains after swallowing. Does the flavour disappear quickly or develop? Is the aftertaste clean, sweet, cooling, dry or warming? A good finish for you is one you want to return to; it does not have to match somebody else’s score.

Use a tasting note template you can repeat

Copy this seven-line template into a notebook or phone:

1. Blend and date: name, batch or pack-open date.
2. Brew: dose, water temperature and time.
3. Dry aroma: the first two or three honest words.
4. Wet aroma: what became clearer after brewing.
5. Flavour: first note, middle and finish.
6. Body and balance: light/full, smooth/brisk, integrated/dominant.
7. Next cup: the single variable you will change.

How to compare My Life Tea flavour families

Start with contrast. Compare a fruit-led green tea, a warming spice blend and a caffeine-aware evening option rather than three very similar cups.

• Fresh and bright: compare Hygieia pineapple and lemongrass green tea with Athena.
• Warm and spiced: compare Artemis sweet spiced chai with Kratos turmeric spice, yerba mate and chamomile.
• Rounded and caffeine-aware: compare Morpheus lavender and vanilla rooibos with Ares ginger, honey and mint rooibos, checking the exact pack wording before use.

If caffeine, pregnancy, breastfeeding, medication or an ingredient sensitivity affects your choice, check the label and ask a qualified health professional. Tea tasting is product education, not medical advice.

Common tasting mistakes—and the useful fix

• Tasting while the cup is too hot: wait a few minutes and revisit it as it cools.
• Changing everything at once: alter only dose, temperature or time on the next brew.
• Borrowing somebody else’s vocabulary: use familiar food, aroma and texture words.
• Ignoring the water: use fresh water and keep the source consistent during a comparison.
• Judging from one sip: note the opening flavour, middle and finish across the cup.

For broader preparation guidance, use the loose leaf brewing temperature and steep-time guide. The UK Tea & Infusions Association also provides general information about making a consistent brew.

Build your own three-cup tasting flight

Choose one bright blend, one rich or spiced blend and one caffeine-free or caffeine-aware option. Brew small servings, taste them from lightest to strongest, and keep water and equipment consistent. At the end, circle the blend you would most want at breakfast, during a focused afternoon or after dinner.

Next step: open the full My Life Tea range, choose three contrasting flavour profiles and save one tasting note for each. You are not trying to crown a universal winner. You are building a reliable map of your own taste.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main things to notice when tasting loose leaf tea?

Notice appearance, dry and wet aroma, first flavour, body, balance and finish. Record the brewing method as well, because dose, water temperature and steep time change the cup.

Should I taste tea with milk?

Taste it plain first so you can identify the tea’s own character. Then add milk or a sweetener if that reflects your normal routine and note how the balance changes.

Why does tea taste bitter?

Bitterness can come from the tea itself, but too much leaf, water that is too hot or an overlong steep can intensify it. Change one variable at a time and follow the pack guidance.

Do I need a tea-tasting wheel?

No. A wheel can prompt ideas, but familiar words are enough. “Lemon, soft spice, light body, clean finish” is a useful note when it accurately describes your cup.

Can I taste several teas in one session?

Yes. Three small cups usually give enough contrast without tiring your palate. Taste lighter profiles first, drink water between cups and avoid strongly flavoured food immediately beforehand.