What is Comparative Cupping?
Comparative Cupping is the practice of steeping two or more teas for the purposes of determining the unique qualities of each. This practice works for contrasting various brand names, harvests, as well as qualities of tea. Comparative cupping additionally assists you develop your palate and allow you to better appreciate the refined nuances characteristic to the tea plant. The most effective device for identifying the taste accounts of teas is the Scent Wheel developed by the International Tea Masters Organization.
Traditional Teas vs. Blends
What defines a tea as conventional? Despite the age-related connotation connected to the term, for our purposes a standard tea is right here defined as a mixture made up completely of true tea leaves such as our Keemun. While there are typical teas that have been cultivated for centuries, more recent ranges as well as cultivars are included under this umbrella term also. Any kind of tea which contains other components such as spices, dried fruit, necessary oils and so on is thought about a tea mix.
Standard Black Tea
Depending upon where you live in the world, the initial 2 kinds that most likely come to mind when you think “tea” are green or black. Though the various other kinds are taken in all over the world, these are the two types most easily available. Next time you take part of a free drink station at your neighborhood financial institution or cars and truck dealership, take a look at the tea option as well as you’ll notice there is usually a black option, an environment-friendly choice, and maybe something herbal.
Furthermore, when you consider these types there might be some base assumptions that emerge if you are brand-new to the diverse tea globe:
black teas are dark, bitter, heavy
eco-friendly teas are light, vegetal, astringent
While there is teaspoon of fact to this facility, essentializing the tea kinds leaves little space for experiencing the myriad of flavors that exist within the fallen leaves of the Camelia sinensis plant.
Black teas are one of the most heavily processed of truth tea types therefore tend towards earthier or much more mineral taste profiles. However, black teas can likewise exhibit lighter flavors such as nutty or flower notes relying on cultivar, harvest, and terroir (the full atmosphere in which a tea is expanded).
To highlight this range, we selected to compare three conventional black teas generated in different corners of the world. For the functions of this contrast we soaked all three teas at 212 ° F/100 ° C for 4 mins.
Guatemalan Black
Our Guatemalan Black tea, sourced from the Chirrapec Tea Cooperative in Coban, Guatemala, soaks a smooth medium-bodied cup that supplies a great quantity of high levels of caffeine to begin your day with. This one-of-a-kind tea shows a definitely mineral taste similar to granite. Guatemalan Black is characterized by a light mouth-feel as well as is durable enough to withstand milk as well as honey.
Himalayan Black
On the contrary end of the black tea taste spectrum we have Himalayan Black which supplies an uniquely floral option. A lighter black tea, Himalayan Black has a mild astringency to it which leads to a lingering mouthfeel and included depth. This tea shows ahead notes of garden blossoms which hold unfaltering throughout as well as subtler notes of grapefruit and also citrus. We suggest steeping this tea utilizing a typical gaiwan to fully value the tastes that create over multiple brief mixtures.
Kenya Black
Our Kenya Black tea comes from the Milima Estate in southwest Kenya as well as supplies a good medium ground in between the other 2 teas. Kenya Black soaks a medium-bodied copper-colored cup that is redolent of blossoms as well as identified by a somewhat wonderful malted taste. This tea has a sticking around mouthfeel and also moderate astringency. Try drinking as component of your morning routine or as a mid-afternoon caffeine boost!
