Tea Flavor Wheel: A Guide to Understanding Tea's Richness

At Teaismm, we seek to promote the art of tea drinking by helping enthusiasts explore the nuances that make each cup of tea unique. We aim to shine a light on the amazing teas from Taiwan and teas from Japan, both of which offer diverse and complex flavors. One of the best tools we use to uncover the depth and complexity of these teas is the Tea Flavor Wheel. This educational instrument helps tea drinkers understand the different elements that make up the tea experience, guiding us as we use our senses to discover the richness in every cup.

What is a Tea Flavor Wheel?

The Tea Flavor Wheel is a visual guide that categorizes and organizes the various flavors, aromas, and textures found in tea. Developed to help tea drinkers and professionals alike, the wheel breaks down the intricate characteristics of tea into a series of labels, giving us the language to describe the experience. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned tea connoisseur, the Tea Flavor Wheel can deepen your appreciation of tea by offering a structured approach to identifying its unique properties.

In the context of teas from Taiwan and Japan, the Tea Flavor Wheel is particularly useful for uncovering the specific attributes that make these teas stand out. Taiwanese teas include a wide range of green, oolong, and black teas, while Japanese teas are primarily green teas with a few unique roasted varieties. Using the wheel, we can better understand how their flavors are defined and how they evoke different sensory experiences.

Flavor Wheel : Teas From Taiwan

Tea Flavor Wheel Instructions: Understanding the Elements of Tea

1. Color of the Liquor: A Window into the Tea’s Soul

The first step in exploring a tea is examining the color of the liquor, which is the liquid after steeping the leaves. This is the visual representation of the tea’s essence and often gives us clues about the flavor profile we can expect. The color of the tea liquor is affected by several factors, including the type of tea leaves, the oxidation level, and the processing methods.

• Taiwanese teas, such as green tea, oolongs, and black tea, each display distinct colors. Green teas often have a light, pale yellow or greenish hue, reflecting their fresh, vegetal qualities. Oolong teas, depending on their oxidation levels, can range from a vibrant greenish-yellow to a rich amber, representing their more complex flavor profiles. Black teas from Taiwan, like Ruby Red and Sun Moon Lake, typically produce a darker amber or reddish-brown liquor, which hints at their rich, malty flavor.

  
  

• Japanese green teas, on the other hand, often produce a vibrant green liquor. This vivid color is a result of the minimal oxidation and careful steaming processes used to preserve the leaves' natural chlorophyll. Toasted teas, like Hojicha, have a brownish hue due to the roasting process, which creates a deeper, more earthy flavor.

  
  

By paying attention to the color of the tea liquor, you can make initial predictions about the tea’s characteristics, which will be confirmed as you move on to smell and taste.

2. Aroma: A World of Scent

The aroma of tea is a huge part of the experience and can reveal a lot about the tea’s character. The Tea Flavor Wheel divides the aroma into various categories, from marine and floral to fruity and vegetal. The aroma is often the first sense to engage when drinking tea, and it is essential in building your understanding of the overall profile.

• Marine aromas are common in Japanese green teas, particularly in teas like Sencha and Gyokuro, which are made from leaves that are shaded before harvest. These teas often have a fresh, ocean-like scent, reminiscent of seaweed or the briny air by the shore.

  
  

• Floral aromas are also present in many Taiwanese oolong teas, especially those from high mountain regions. The fragrant Jasmine or orchid notes are often found in Alishan oolong tea, giving it an elegant, almost perfume-like scent.

  
  

• Fruity notes, such as apples, peaches, or citrus, can appear in both Taiwanese and Japanese teas, though they are often more prominent in the lightly oxidized oolongs from Taiwan or the green teas from Japan.

  
  

• Toasted and nutty aromas are more often found in roasted teas, like Japan’s Hojicha or Taiwanese black teas, where the roasting process imparts deeper, more complex aromas of toasted rice or roasted chestnut.

  
  

The aroma is one of the richest dimensions in tea, with endless variation, and it can make the difference between an ordinary tea and an extraordinary one. It invites the tea drinker to pause and appreciate the story behind each cup.

3. Taste: Understanding Basic Taste and Mouthfeel

Now, we move into the heart of the tea experience: taste. The Tea Flavor Wheel divides the taste profile into two categories: Basic Taste and Mouthfeel. These categories encompass the fundamental sensations that you experience when drinking tea.

Basic Taste:

In the Basic Taste section, you will encounter the five fundamental taste categories: sourness, saltiness, sweetness, bitterness, and Umami.

• Sourness: A bright, tangy sensation often found in freshly brewed green teas. Japanese teas, like Sencha, may exhibit a light sourness due to their high acidity.

  
  

• Saltiness: This is less common but can appear in teas that are grown near the sea or processed in a way that enhances mineral content.

  
  

• Sweetness: Sweetness can range from a subtle, almost honey-like sweetness in high-quality oolongs to the stronger, more pronounced sweetness in Taiwanese black teas.

  
  

• Bitterness: A sharp, often pleasant bitterness found in teas that have been steeped too long or those with higher levels of polyphenols. It’s often noticeable in green teas or dark oolongs such as Dong Ding and Tie Guan Yin.

  
  

• Umami: This savory taste is often associated with Japanese teas, particularly Gyokuro and Matcha. It gives a rich, smooth, and almost brothy texture that elevates the overall experience.

  
  

Mouthfeel:

The Mouthfeel category describes the tactile sensations you experience when drinking the tea. Here, we focus on elements such as Aftertaste, Fullness, Smoothness, Fineness, and Purity.

• Aftertaste: This describes how the flavor lingers in your mouth after swallowing. A tea with a long aftertaste will continue to unfold its flavors for minutes after you finish drinking it, while a tea with a short aftertaste may be more immediate and less complex.

  
  

• Fullness: Fullness refers to the body of the tea, its weight and richness. A tea that is described as having fullness has a heavy, rich presence on the palate, whereas a tea with low fullness might feel lighter and more delicate.

  
  

• Smoothness: Smoothness refers to the tea’s texture—whether it feels silky or rough in your mouth. A tea that is high in smoothness will be soft and velvety, while a low-smoothness tea may feel more astringent.

  
  

• Fineness: A highly fine tea is delicate and refined, offering a subtle, intricate flavor profile. In contrast, a robust tea with low fineness will have stronger, more forward flavors.

  
  

• Purity: A pure tea is free from any off-flavors or defects, with clean, straightforward flavors that highlight its natural characteristics.

  
  

Each characteristic in the mouthfeel section is rated from 1 to 5, where 1 represents a low or basic experience, and 5 represents the highest level of refinement. For example, a 5 in fineness means the tea is exceptionally delicate, whereas a 1 would indicate a more robust, straightforward flavor.

Taiwan Teas 10 Flavor wheel

The Tea Flavor Wheel is a powerful tool that helps tea drinkers, from beginners to experts, develop a deeper understanding of the complexities within every cup. By using this wheel to evaluate the color, aroma, and taste of tea, we can fully appreciate the richness of Taiwanese teas and Japanese green teas. With practice, you will become more attuned to the diverse world of tea, discovering not only the characteristics of individual teas but also how they all work together to create a harmonious, sensory experience.

At Teaism, we are committed to sharing the art of tea with you, helping you uncover the many facets of this timeless beverage. Whether you’re enjoying a Taiwanese Oolong or a Japanese Sencha, the Tea Flavor Wheel will guide you on a journey through taste, aroma, and texture, uncovering the hidden gems in every cup.