Loose Leaf Tea Tasting Flight: Compare Three Blends at Home

Quick answer: a loose leaf tea tasting flight is a side-by-side comparison of three or four teas brewed with the same water, cup size and basic method. Start with the lightest tea, keep portions small, and record aroma, flavour, body and finish before checking the product description. The goal is not to find the “best” tea; it is to learn which flavour and ritual fit you actually enjoy.

Tea becomes easier to choose when you compare cups deliberately. A tasting flight turns vague labels such as floral, bright or warming into experiences you can recognise. It is also a useful way to explore the My Life Tea collection without expecting one blend to suit every time of day.

What do you need for a tea tasting flight?

You need three teas, three matching mugs or tasting cups, a kettle, an infuser for each tea, a timer, fresh water and a notebook. A small digital scale helps, but the directions on each product page are the right starting point. Keep food and scented products away from the table so they do not mask the aroma.

A simple three-cup line-up

• Fresh and bright: begin with a green-tea-led blend such as Athena.
• Spiced or fuller: follow with a richer profile such as Artemis, checking the current ingredient and caffeine wording first.
• Naturally caffeine-free finish: use a rooibos or herbal option such as Ares, if its current product description fits your needs.

Product names and recipes can change, so use those examples as a shopping route, not a substitute for the live ingredient list.

How to brew the cups fairly

Fair does not mean forcing every tea into one temperature and steeping time. It means controlling what can sensibly stay constant while respecting each tea’s directions. Use the same water source, cup volume and measurement method. Brew each tea at the temperature and time stated for that blend, then taste them at a similar drinking temperature.

1. Label the cups before opening the tea.
2. Measure the same finished volume for each cup.
3. Follow each blend’s product-page directions for leaf quantity, water temperature and time.
4. Remove the leaves when the timer ends.
5. Let very hot cups cool until aroma and flavour are comfortable to assess.
6. Taste from lightest to fullest, drinking water between cups.

If measuring is new to you, use the loose leaf tea per cup guide. For temperature and timing, keep the brewing guide open.

Use four tasting notes instead of a score

A number hides the useful part of the decision. Record four short observations instead:

• Aroma: what do you notice before sipping—fruit, spice, grass, flowers, toast or something else?
• Flavour: what appears first and what develops after a few seconds?
• Body: does the cup feel light, rounded, drying, creamy or brisk?
• Finish: which flavour remains, and do you want another sip?

Write ordinary language. “Reminds me of cherry sweets” is more useful for your next order than borrowed tasting vocabulary. The flavour-note method gives a fuller worksheet.

Turn the tasting into a buying decision

After the cups, add one practical line for each tea: when would I actually drink this? A blend can be enjoyable but wrong for your routine, caffeine preference or brewing setup. Compare the live product pages for ingredients, caffeine wording, preparation and pack format before ordering.

Use three decision labels:

• Repeat: a flavour and routine fit you would happily brew again.
• Re-test: promising, but worth trying with a small change in strength or temperature.
• Different job: enjoyable, but better for another time, food pairing or person.

Common tasting-flight mistakes

Making full mugs of every tea

Small servings keep the comparison comfortable and reduce waste. You can brew a normal ratio and divide the finished tea between tasters.

Adding milk or sweetener immediately

Taste each cup plain first so you understand its baseline. Then test additions deliberately. If milk matters to you, read the tea with milk guide.

Reading the marketing copy before tasting

Descriptions can prime you to find a flavour. Make your first note before checking the label, then compare what you noticed with the listed ingredients.

Treating tea as medical treatment

A tasting flight is for flavour and routine discovery. Check ingredients carefully and ask a qualified professional about allergies, medicines, pregnancy or health concerns. Tea does not replace medical care.

Host a simple tea tasting at home

For two to four people, choose three contrasting blends and print one tasting sheet per person. Keep the names hidden for the first pass if you want to reduce expectation bias. Reveal the blends after everyone has written a note, then use the Greek mythology stories as conversation rather than as proof of a health effect.

A flight also makes a thoughtful gift experience. Pair the teas with a date, three tasting cards and a promise to brew them together. For product gifting decisions, use the loose leaf tea gift guide.

FAQ

How many teas should be in a tasting flight?

Three is ideal for beginners. Four can work if servings are small, but more cups make flavours and notes harder to distinguish.

Should every tea use the same water temperature?

No. Use the same water source and serving volume, but follow each blend’s recommended temperature and steeping time so delicate tea is not disadvantaged.

Can I make a tea tasting flight with milk?

Yes, but taste the teas plain first. Add the same measured amount of milk only to cups whose style and product directions make it appropriate.

What order should I taste loose leaf tea?

Move from lighter and more delicate cups to fuller, spiced or strongly flavoured cups. Finish with caffeine-free tea if that suits the line-up; caffeine content does not itself determine tasting order.

Build your first three-cup flight

Choose three contrasting blends from all My Life Tea teas, check each live product page, and write one aroma, flavour, body, finish and routine note for every cup. If you need help choosing a balanced line-up, contact My Life Tea with your taste and caffeine preferences.