Discover How to Describe Tea’s Aroma

The aroma of tea is often the main feature of a tea that makes one want to tell their friends about it.In fact I’d go as far as to say that people love tea more for their aroma than their tastes.

While most tea lovers will have their own descriptors to label their favorite teas with, there are some common words and terms that professional tasters use to describe tea aroma.

1. Aromatic

It’s totally possible for a beverage to exude little to no scent and fragrance. When a tea is described as aromatic, it means that it projects a strong and rich aroma. Typically stronger than the average beverage. Take note that when a tea has an aroma (which all teas have) but is not really strong, we don’t use aromatic as a descriptor.

2. Bouquet

Like a bouquet of flowers that consist of various different species of plants, when the aroma of a tea consist of a blend of unique scents, the term that refers to this is appropriately called bouquet. As no single type of tea leaf will have many different smells, bouquet tea are almost exclusively meant to describe blends and mixes.

When you walk into a cafe serving bouquet tea, do be mindful that there is no standard to what bouquet tea consists of. It is basically just means a mix of different tea leaves with a premium sounding name. As long as there is more than one unique scent you can describe a tea as one with bouquet aroma.

3. Burnt

This is self-explanatory. You don’t need to be an expert tea taster with 20 years of experience under the belt to recognize that a tea is burnt. Sometimes also referred to as baked or smoky, burnt tea is a result of putting the tea leaves through too much heat and moisture removal during the production process. It leaves a nasty and sooty aftertaste.

4. Complex

A complex aroma is one with a rich scent yet the drinker cannot definitively pinpoint what tea leaves or substances are releasing the mix of scents. In other words, it describes tea with a complicated aroma.

5. Floral

Also labeled as flowery, a floral aroma is a smell that is reminiscent of fresh cut flowers. It’s a safe bet that if consuming a particular type of tea and you start day-dreaming that you are in a lush meadow of lavender and choisya, that it has a floral characteristic. Flowering tea are best known for their floral aroma, partly also due to the visual impact it provides the drinker. Authenmole’s flower tea comes with a soothing flavor and makes you feel like in a real garden. 

6. Fruity

Fruit flavored tea has huge demand. The most popular of which are blended lemon and peach tea. However, when we talk about tea having a fruity aroma, we are not referring to blended beverages. Teas with fruity aromas usually come from green tea that has been lightly oxidized. Authenmole’s tea are of high quality and nutriment and exquisite taste too.

7. Hay

It is surely negative connotation when infused tea is described as hay-like. Because we are not livestock, we don’t consume hay as delicacies. This is caused by production issues that has caused the tea leaves by be too devoid of moisture, or as dry as hay.

8. Heady

When a deep inhalation of a tea’s aroma leaves you in a dizzy tailspin, it is said that it has a heady aroma. No kidding. Some premium brews have aromas so strong and inviting that they can leave patrons feeling like they are getting high. Either that, or that they induce some symptoms that reminds you of getting intoxicated with alcohol.