Oenophiles might have some competition when it comes to understanding the finer nuances of tea. Ed Soon breaks down the science of what makes a perfect brew

Leaves, buds or twigs: unassuming plant life is the essence of the drink that keeps people around the world caffeinated and comfortable. The origins of tea date back to the first millennium BC in China, when the Han Dynasty discovered a wild bush’s leaves could be used as medicine. Today, there are thousands of teas, from Dragon Pearl to Earl Grey, white, green, oolong, black and floral/perfumed. Stylistic differences aside, high-quality tea is comparable to fine wine, according to tea experts. Teas are often named for the estates where they are grown and have tastes indicative of their country of origin. So what do the experts know that we don’t?

How tea leaves are processed determines what type of teas they become. This procedure involves drying, steaming, rolling, cutting and forming the leaves into various shapes, from bricks to balls. White tea is unprocessed and naturally dried – hence its subtle taste. Black tea, however, is fully processed – leaves are wilted, crushed, fermented (oxidation of leaves in a humid, warm environment) and then ‘fired’ (dried, over fire or in an oven). Through these processes, black tea becomes a strong-tasting drink, with floral, spice, hay and wood undertones. In between white and black are green teas, made from wilted and steamed (but unoxidised) leaves. It tastes grassy and can also be ground into a fine powdered matcha, used for tea ceremonies or ice cream. Euromonitor, a market-research firm, says Singaporeans are drawn to two types of tea: green tea for its health benefits, and fruit/herbal teas for their novelty and wide array of flavours.

The finest teas come from the bud and two leaves. Gold tips and silver tips refer to the very ends of the sweetest young leaves – the ultimate in tea, for special occasions. ‘TGFOP’ (tippy golden flowery orange pekoe) have the highest proportion of tip. Tea connoisseurs always ask for leaf tea. The rest of the world drinks tea made from ‘dust’ – detritus left after whole leaves are sifted and graded. Call it sweepings off the floor but it usually ends up in tea bags, such as Lipton’s generic range. Tea dust is also the essential ingredient in sarabat stall tea, or local coffee shop Teh-C and Teh-O.
    For professional tea-buyers, size matters in dry leaf as it relates to how long the tea will take to infuse. The finest quality teas take the longest, since wholeleaf or slightly broken-leaf teas are used.
    The aroma of the dregs enables further appraisal. Each type of leaf has a signature scent – vegetal, flowery, fruity or malty. Secondary aromas of smoke, oil, toast and more reveal whether the leaf was old or new, how much it was fermented or how strongly it was fired.
    Where tea is grown determines its ultimate taste, according to Merrill J Fernando, owner of Dilmah Tea Estates, Sri Lanka. Tea varies in flavour and characteristics according to the type of soil, altitude and climate of the area in which it is grown. Tea originating from the highest elevations – such as the Lover’s Leap Estate (6,500ft above sea level) – is elegant and light. Tea from bushes grown at low elevation, such as the Galle District (1,000ft up), is robust and dark, with an attractive ‘coarseness’ of taste. Southern Indian tea is considered fruity; Darjeeling tea from northern India is malty.
    The season of picking matters, too – Darjeeling tea picked during the monsoon season is so strong it is used for blending to alleviate the inferior taste of cheaper teas. Yet the same bush plucked at the beginning of the season in April, or in the ‘first flush’, yields a flowery tea that is prized by all.

Cup winners: How to taste tea like a pro
1 Take a spoonful of warm tea and lift the spoon to the edge of your lower lip.
2 Take a short and powerful inward breath of air that will suck and spray the tea as droplets into your mouth.
3 Move the tea around your mouth, sucking in further short bursts of air, to release the more delicate characteristics inherent in the tea.
4 Roll your eyes, raise your eyebrows, be dramatic – but do note the flavours.
5 Don’t swallow but expel the tea into a spittoon. Then make your pronouncement.

Tea trivia
‘Before brewing, give your tea bags a quick rinse in cold water to remove bleach and impurities in the paper,’ says Carrie Chen, ‘tea artist’ at Tea Bone Zen Mind Tea Room (38A Seah St; 6333 5400). ‘Your tea will taste infinitely better. [The] Singapore climate, warm yet not too dry, is perfect for storing and ageing pu-erh – rare tea made from old, wild tea trees in Yunnan, China.’