LEAF
Bloom – Sign of good manufacture where a sheen of glossiness of the leaf has not been removed by overhandling or oversorting.
Well Made And Clean Leaf – leaf which is free from fibre , dust or any other extraneous material and properly rolled. Whole leaf should be well rolled and twisted free from stalks. Whole leaf should have some tips which is a sign of good quality and manufacture.
Rough Or Bold Leaf – Is undesirable as liquor of these types is rather plain or coarse. Any leaf which contains stems or stalks and uneven or mixed is not desirable.
LIQUOR
Quality – Refers to cup quality and denotes a combination of the most desirable liquoring qualities
Coloury – Coloury indicate useful depth of colour and strength.
Aroma – Indicates that both the tea leaf and infusion have one of a certain no. of smells which are highly valued. Such aroma is connected with flavor and is highly fragrant.
Bright – denote lively fresh tea with good keeping quality. Sparkling liquor denotes good tea which has a longer storing possibility without losing character.
Brisk – live , not flat liquor , usually of pungent character.
Flavour – A most desirable extension of ‘CHARACTER’, caused by slow growth at high elevations and comparatively rare.
Strength – Thickness of liquor, pungent and brisk
Pungent – Astringent with good combination of briskness, brightness and strength. Often used to describe good quality North Indian ( Assam) teas.
Dull – lacks brightness and usually denotes poor manufacture and firing or high moisture content.
Coarse – coarse teas are usually soft and dull taste
Earthy – smell of earth which comes out of smoke in tea