At first glance, tea grading might look like a straightforward stamp of quality — but in reality, grade alone doesn’t determine flavour . Two teas sharing the same grade can still produce very different tasting cups. Here’s why: 1. Grading Isn’t a Full Quality Measure Tea grades most often describe leaf size, tip content and appearance , not flavour complexity or sensory quality. Grading systems prioritise visual traits — how the tea looks — rather than the taste profile itself. So two teas may both be graded but still differ hugely in aroma, mouthfeel, sweetness, briskness and aftertaste. 2. Origin & Cultivation Matter Tea is an agricultural crop. The same grade of leaf from a high-altitude garden will taste different from one grown in the plains. Variables such as: Soil characteristics Climate & rainfall Elevation Sunlight intensity all shape the tea’s biochemical makeup long before processing begins. This is similar to terroir in wine — the same varietal y...
I came across a piece recently—an article tracing tea’s quiet presence in art across centuries by Magda Michalska. It wasn’t loud or showy, just… observant. The kind of writing that lingers like steam from a just-poured cup. As a tea sommelier, I’ve always believed tea lives in the in-between: between words, between people, between stories. This article captured that feeling beautifully. Because here’s the thing: tea doesn’t need attention to matter. It’s not a performance. It doesn’t arrive demanding notice. It slips into a room softly, settles on the table, and stays. Artists have painted it for years—not for drama, but for presence. A held moment. A remembered gesture. A shape in the light. Reading it, I felt like I’d found a reflection of what I see every day—how tea, even in stillness, tells stories. Theo van Rysselberghe – Summer Afternoon (Tea in the Garden) (1901) Neo-Impressionist garden chatter, served pointillist-style Summer Afternoon (Tea in the Garden) , 1901- Curr...