What makes the perfect cup of tea? We went behind the scenes with CHAGEE’s tea masters to find out

There are three stations led by CHAGEE tea masters, each revealing another layer of the tea-making and appreciation. At the first tasting station, Tea Master Tham Guo Hong introduced us to tie guan yin, a prized oolong known for its orchid-like fragrance and smooth finish.

He began by warming the tea utensils to better draw out the tea’s aroma before adding the leaves and pouring in hot water. After carefully timing the steep, he strained out the leaves to prevent the brew from becoming overly strong or bitter.

The process follows four steps: look, smell, taste, and then describe. There’s even a proper way to drink it: briefly holding your breath after swallowing before exhaling through your nose to better capture the aroma. 

Tea tasting, it turns out, is deeply subjective. “Tea tasting is actually very personal,” the tea master pointed out. That became obvious the moment everyone around the table started describing the same tea differently. Some picked up floral notes. Others tasted honey and even herbal. But all agreed that there’s a lingering sweetness.

At another tasting station, Tea Master Edwin introduced guests to jasmine green tea, pu erh, and oolong varieties, explaining how processing methods shape flavour. 

Pu erh was described as “the wine of teas,” a tea that develops deeper flavour over time with ageing, while tie guan yin sits within the oolong family and undergoes partial roasting, resulting in a lighter colour and more aromatic profile compared to black tea. “If you like more flavour, more aroma, you can go for oolong tea,” the instructor explained. “Because the processing is different.”

Even repeat infusions reveal new layers. Oolong tea can typically be steeped five or six times, with each infusion revealing different flavour nuances. However, over-steeping may lead to increased bitterness and astringency. “Most often than not, the tea [in restaurants] is actually over-brewed,” Edwin noted. “Such that the bitterness increases.”

At the tea-making station, Tea Master Yu Ting walked us through the technical side of brewing tea. Temperature matters more than most people realise. Green tea, for instance, should ideally be steeped at around 85 degree-celcius, not boiling point. “Green tea is more delicate and can become bitter when brewed with water that is too hot,” Yu Ting explained.

Oolong and black tea, on the other hand, can handle water at 90 to 100 degree-celcius. Even the amount of leaves matters. Around three to five grams is commonly used for a standard serving, depending on the tea type and brewing style.

Participants are also given the chance to bag their own tea blends to bring home, complete with custom labels and brewing notes. While flowers like jasmine, rose and osmanthus can complement tea beautifully, tea blending requires careful balancing, as different roasting levels and flavour profiles can compete with one another. “I recommend just sticking to one base,” Yu Ting said. “Because there are different levels of roasting, so when you mix everything, the unique flavour won’t come out by itself.”

Alongside the workshops, CHAGEE has also launched its limited-edition BO·YA Jasmine Tie Guan Yin Milk Tea, an extension of its existing jasmine series created specially for this season. The drink opens with delicate jasmine notes before revealing the floral, orchid-like character of tie guan yin oolong sourced from Fujian, China. 

The limited-edition cups also feature bespoke Rooted in Tea artwork designed to be collectible, while stores across Singapore will carry its look and feel to immerse customers further into tea culture. There’s also exclusive merchandise in the mix, from blind-box tea-scented charms to tumblers inspired by the roots and rituals of tea-making. 

From May 21, CHAGEE will also release a specially commissioned magazine diving deeper into tea heritage and craftsmanship. And from June 4 onwards, customers across Southeast Asia will be able to purchase tea boxes featuring CHAGEE’s best-selling tea bag flavours for the first time.

But beyond the aesthetic cups and collectible merch lies something far more grounding: a reminder that tea is not simply a product, but a living culture shaped by centuries of craftsmanship, rituals and stories passed through generations. Discover more here.