A
Adaptogen: Natural substances that help the body adapt to stress and promote balance, often found in herbal teas.
Afternoon Tea (下午茶): A British tradition of serving tea, sandwiches, and scones in the afternoon, often accompanied by social conversation.
Aged Tea: Tea that has been stored for a period to develop complex flavors, often associated with pu-erh.
Alkali Tea: A green tea processed with alkali to reduce bitterness.
Aroma: A usually pleasant smell; one of the most prized characteristics of tea.
Assam: A black tea grown in the Northeast region of India, known for its robust and full-bodied flavor.
Assam CTC: Assam tea is processed using the cut, tear, and curl method.
Assam Golden Tip: A type of Assam tea characterized by rich, malty, full-bodied flavor from the world’s largest tea-growing area.
Astringent: A tasting term indicating a pungent flavor caused by the presence of tannins.
Autumnal: A term used to describe the earthy flavors of fall.
B
Baihao: The highest grade of white tea, consisting of unopened buds.
Bi Luo Chun: A Chinese green tea known for its delicate flavor and snail-shaped leaves.
Blend: A mixture of teas, including flowers, herbs, and spices.
BLT (British Legacy Teas): Teas produced in former British colonies used traditional British methods.
Body: A descriptive term for fullness in the mouth (mouthfeel).
Biscuity: A tasting term referring to a well-fired black tea with a flavor reminiscent of baked goods.
Black Tea: Tea derived from Camellia sinensis, characterized by withering, rolling, oxidizing, and drying.
Blooming tea: A type of tea that focuses on the visual beauty of the tea, rather than the taste
Bright: A tasting term indicating a  tart, crisp, or fresh, flavor.
Brisk: A tasting term used to describe an astringent tea, often associated (briskness),
Broken:  Torn or broken tea leaves, that still retain their leaf-like shape and appearance.
Broken Orange Pekoe (BOP): A grade of tea where the leaves are broken to achieve a bolder flavor, commonly found in Breakfast blends.
Bud: The young, unfurled tea leaf found at the tip of a new growth stem.
C
Camellia sinensis: The evergreen plant whose leaves and buds are used to produce tea; many varieties exist.
Caffeine: A natural stimulant found in tea, coffee, and cacao plants.
Ceylon Tea: Tea grown in Sri Lanka.
Chai: The Indian word for tea, often indicating a blend of black tea and spices.
Chamomile Citrus: A soothing herbal tea blend featuring chamomile with hints of orange and lemon.
Clay Teapot: A teapot created from natural clay, valued for its heat retention and ability to enhance flavor.
Colored Clays: Different types of clay used for teapots.
Cold Brew: A method of brewing tea in cold water, resulting in a smoother flavor.
Congou: A type of black tea from China known for its strong flavor and dark color.
D
Da Hong Pao: A rare and expensive Chinese oolong tea.
Darjeeling: Tea sourced from the Darjeeling region in India, known for its light hue and complex flavor.
Decaffeinated Tea: Tea that has had most of its caffeine removed.
Dian Hong: A black tea from Yunnan, China.
Dongfang Meiren: A Taiwanese oolong tea known for its floral aroma and sweet taste.
Dust: Smallest and lowest grade of tea, made from broken tea leaves or particles. It’s often used in commercial tea bags.
Dull: Describing a tea liquor color that is not clear or bright.
E
Earl Grey Decaf: Ceylon black tea combined with bright citrus notes of bergamot, minus the caffeine.
Earthy: Flavor found in dark fermented teas, some herbal teas, and black teas, with notes of earth, moss, or pine wood.
EGCG: An abundant catechin (antioxidant) found in tea, especially green tea.
English Breakfast: A popular black tea blend typically consisting of Assam and Sri Lanka teas.
Estate: A plantation or garden where tea is grown.
Espresso Tea: A concentrated tea made by steeping tea leaves under high pressure.
F
Fair Trade: A program aimed at providing financial assistance to tea workers, ensuring better living conditions.
Fannings: A low grade of tea consisting of small pieces left over from sorting.
Fermentation: A chemical transformation that alters tea leaves, mellowing their taste.
Fine: High-quality tea.
Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (FTGFOP): The highest quality grade of tea featuring many tips.
Flavor: The characteristic taste of tea combines aroma and taste experience.
Floral: Flavor often found in oolong teas, with notes ranging from light to intense.
Flowery: A tea with a floral taste or aroma.
Flowery Orange Pekoe (FOP): This is a high-quality tea with large leaves and few tips.
Flush: This refers to the time of year when teas are harvested. There are four main flushes.
Formosa: This is tea grown on the island of Taiwan.
Fruity: Flavor found in some black teas and darker oolong teas, with notes of ripe plum, peach, grape, or passion fruit.
Full: This describes a strong tea with good color and no bitterness.
Full Leaf: Larger tea leaves can have a more mellow and elegant flavor.
G
Gaiwan: This is a traditional Chinese tea vessel used for brewing and serving tea.
Ginger Twist: This is an herbal tea blend with lemongrass, fruits, mint, ginger, and ginseng.
Golden Tip: This is a sign of delicate plucking, marked by young tea buds stained golden during oxidation.
Green Tea: A tea characterized by a process that stops oxidation to retain its green color.
Green Tea Tropical: This is a blend of green tea with tropical fruit aromas.
Gunpowder: This is a type of green tea rolled into small pellets resembling gunpowder grains.
Gyokuro: This is a high-grade Japanese green tea possessing a deep green color and smooth taste.
H
Hancha: This is a Japanese green tea made from steamed tea leaves that are then pan-fired.
Heady: This describes strong or potent teas.
Herbal Tea: This refers to infusions of herbs, spices, fruits, or flowers, usually caffeine-free.
Houjicha: This is a Japanese roasted green tea with a nutty flavor.
Huicha: This is a Chinese tea made from fermented tea leaves.
Hot Brew: This is the process of brewing tea with hot water.
I
Iron Goddess of Mercy: This is a Chinese oolong tea known for its sweet and floral aroma.
Infuser: This is a device used to steep tea leaves without using tea bags.
J
Jasmine: This refers to tea scented with jasmine blossoms, typically based on green tea.
Jasmine Downy Pearls: This is a unique tea made from young leaves rolled into pearls and scented with jasmine.
Jasmine Tea: This is a green or white tea scented with jasmine flowers.
K
Keemun: This is a fine grade of black tea from China with a complex character.
L
L-Theanine: This is an amino acid found in tea that may help focus the mind and alleviate stress.
Lapsang Souchong: This is a smoky black tea from China known for its distinct flavor.
Light: This describes a tea liquor that lacks depth of color.
Liquor: This refers to the liquid from steeping tea leaves in water.
Longjing Dragonwell: This is a renowned Chinese green tea with high quality.
Lot: This refers to teas offered under a single mark at any tea auction.
M
Marrakesh Mint: This is a blend of Chinese Gunpowder green tea and Moroccan mint.
Masala Chai: This is a blend of Assam and South Indian teas with spices.
Matcha: This is a powdered Japanese green tea used in traditional ceremonies.
Matcha Ceremony (茶道): This is a Japanese tea ceremony focused on mindfulness and harmony.
Matcha Latte: This is a latte made with matcha green tea powder.
Milk Tea: This is a tea drink made with tea and milk, often with added sweeteners and flavorings.
Mineral: Found in some oolong teas, especially Wuyi rock tea.
Moringa Tea: This is an herbal tea made from the moringa tree leaves, known for its health benefits.
Mouthfeel: A descriptive term for fullness in the mouth (mouthfeel).
Muscatel: This is a flavor characteristic reminiscent of muscat grapes, often found in Darjeeling teas.
N
Nectar: This is a sweet and fragrant essence derived from tea or herbs.
Nutty/Toasty: Common in pan-fried green teas and oolong tea, with notes of baked bread, butter, milk, or chestnuts.
O
Oolong Tea: A partially oxidized tea ranging between green and black tea.
Organic: This refers to teas grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
Orange Pekoe (OP): This is a grade indicating high-quality black tea made from whole tea leaves.
Oversteeped: This refers to tea brewed too long, resulting in a bitter taste.
Oxygen: This is a chemical compound present in tea that influences the oxidation process.
P
Puerh: This is a fermented tea that improves with age, often sold in cakes.
Puerh Tea (普洱茶): This is a fermented tea from Yunnan, China.
Pungent: This describes a strong and sharp flavor.
Pungency: This is a flavor descriptor for strong, spicy teas.
R
Refreshing: This describes teas that are invigorating and uplifting.
Red Tea: This term is often used for rooibos, a caffeine-free herbal tea from South Africa.
Rooibos: This is a naturally caffeine-free herbal tea from South Africa.
Rooibos Chai: This is a blend of rooibos and spices.
Rolling: This is the process of breaking tea leaves to enhance flavor.
S
Savory: A savory or umami flavor, similar to salty seaweed, is mostly found in shaded and steamed green teas.
Scented Tea: This refers to tea infused with flowers or other aromatic ingredients.
Sencha: This is a popular Japanese green tea known for its grassy flavor.
Shou Pu-erh: This is a fermented pu-erh tea that has undergone a quick fermentation process.
Silver Needle: This is a premium white tea made from young tea buds.
Smoky: This describes teas with a flavor reminiscent of smoke.
Spicy: Flavor in some oolong teas, especially bug-bitter teas, with a lighter spicy note compared to masala chai.
Steeping: This is the process of soaking tea leaves in water to extract flavors.
Superfood Tea: This refers to teas that offer health benefits due to high antioxidant levels.
Sweet: Flavor often found in black teas and oolong teas, with notes of malty, cocoa, chocolate, or honey.
T
Tannins: Compounds in tea that contribute to astringency and flavor.
Tea sommelier: An individual specializing in tea, akin to a wine sommelier.
Tea Tasting: The practice of sampling teas to evaluate flavor, aroma, and quality.
Tea Tree: A plant related to the Camellia sinensis, often used for essential oils.
Tie Guan Yin: A famous Chinese oolong tea known for its floral aroma.
Tisanes: Herbal infusions that do not contain tea leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant.
Tippy: Tea with a high proportion of tips, the youngest leaves, and buds.
U
Umami: A savory taste often associated with certain teas, particularly green teas.
Uva: A region in Sri Lanka known for its distinctive flavored black teas.
V
Vegetal: Describes a green or herbaceous flavor, often found in green tea.
W
White Tea: Made from young tea leaves and buds, lightly processed to maintain their natural flavor.
Wulong: A term used to refer to oolong tea.
Wuyi Rock Tea: A type of oolong tea from the Wuyi Mountains in China, known for its mineral-rich flavor.
Yin Zhen (Silver Needle): A high-quality white tea made from the buds of the tea plant.
X
Xing Ren Cha: A Chinese tea with a nutty flavor.
Y
Yunnan: A province in China known for its diverse and flavorful teas, including black and pu-erh teas.
Yixing: A region in China known for its purple clay teapots, prized for their ability to enhance the flavor of tea over time.
Yixing Teapot: Yixing teapots, known as “zisha hu” (purple sand pots) in Chinese, have a long history dating back about 5,000 to 6,000 years. The city of Yixing, located in southern Jiangsu Province, is where this ceramic tradition originated.
Z
Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong: A Chinese black tea, also known as Lapsang Souchong, with a smoky aroma.