Choose a first tea you can prepare, taste and meet again with interest. Rarity, expense and expert recognition can wait.
At TI YA RA, tea means Camellia sinensis. White, green, yellow, oolong, red and dark tea all come from this plant. Their differences arise through the way the leaf is handled after picking: withering, heating, rolling, oxidation, drying and, in some dark teas, microbial fermentation.
You do not need to understand every process before choosing. A little structure simply helps you compare without becoming lost in names.
What you need
Choose two or three small tea samples rather than a crowded selection. You also need fresh water, one familiar vessel and enough time to taste without moving immediately to another task. Small quantities allow you to taste more than once without asking for a large commitment.
The teas may come from different processing families, or they may be two expressions of the same family. Neither approach is a test. The purpose is to create a clear enough field for attention.
If a seller provides the tea's name, place, harvest and processing, keep that information with the leaf. These details help you remember what you tasted and find it again; enjoyment remains yours to discover.
1. Prepare one tea at a time
Give each tea its own sitting. Use the same water and vessel where practical, while following any simple preparation guidance supplied for that leaf. Let the tea cool enough to taste clearly.
Begin with what is observable. Smell the dry leaf. Notice the colour of the liquor and the aroma above the cup. Taste without searching for impressive language. A tea may seem light, deep, bright, soft, drying, sweet, bitter or difficult to name. Your words only need to be accurate to your own attention.
If the leaves can be infused again, notice what changes in the next cup. If the first preparation was too strong or too light, adjust it. Choosing tea is partly choosing a leaf and partly learning how that leaf wants to be prepared.
2. Notice what calls you back
Prestige, age, price and rarity can make a beginner feel that there is a correct answer hidden elsewhere. There is no universal first tea.
Ask simpler questions. Did you want to finish the cup? Did you become curious about the next infusion? Would you willingly prepare this tea again?
Returning is useful evidence. It shows that a particular leaf, prepared in a particular way, has earned a place at your table without declaring that tea superior to another.
3. Keep the category clear
TI YA RA uses the word tea only for Camellia sinensis. Herbs, flowers, spices and other botanicals can make meaningful infusions. If you are beginning a tea practice, choose Camellia sinensis and learn its many expressions from there.
Start with a few leaves and an unhurried comparison. Keep the tea that draws you back. Familiarity can grow after the first choice, one cup at a time.