2015.07.07
Aromas of Tea
Have you ever noticed different aromas of tea?
Different types of tea, whether it is English tea, green tea, Chinese tea or Japanese tea, have different, unique aromas.
According to a research, tea leaves have more than 300 unique aromas. Each aroma is caused by a specific compound which generates such aroma. However, it is still not possible to totally and separately explain which compound generates which aroma.
Aromas of tea which can be divided into main categories and can be clearly explained are: a fresh scent like a young leaf, a fresh fragrant like lily of the valley, a rich scent like rose, a sweet scent like jasmine, a fruity or peachy smell, a smell like wood, a smell like bitter vegetables, a smell like seaweed, a smell like old tea leaf, etc. (In this article, SAKURAJIMA will not talk about the chemical compounds which determine such smells because it will be too complicated.)
If tea leaves are baked dry or heated, they will diffuse stronger aromas just like roasted leaves, which can help reduce the rank smell of tea leaves. Each tea manufacturer will use a different technique of tea production. The variants and the intensity of heat for the drying process are part of the strategy to produce tea of different aromas. When you sit down and take a sip of different types of tea, try to notice the aromas of tea. However, this can only be done with pure tea without any added milk, cream or sugar.
