"A tea leaf knows no jasmine, no honey, no citrus—until we show it how to remember."
Key Takeaways
- Tea flavor is not naturally present in the leaves—it is constructed through deliberate processing techniques.
- Withering is the first crucial step in unlocking potential aromas, such as white floral notes, by triggering enzymatic activity.
- Tea cultivar and terroir provide the 'base materials', but cannot express flavor without the right craftsmanship.
- Techniques like tossing, oxidation, and roasting continue shaping the flavor profile, much like photo development.
- The six traditional tea categories are not rigid—they blur as modern techniques mix and evolve.
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