Knowledge: Glassware

You probably have a discerning side to you. Perhaps all your chocolate is single-plantation. Maybe you seek out artisan perfumes from a tiny boutique on What-Its-Name Arcade in London, or breeze-block cheddar won’t cut it after tasting that beautifully aged cheese from an independent family dairy.

Good for you. For discerning tea drinking, it has to be glassware. It will completely change and elevate how you experience artisan-made teas.

Here are the 5 key reasons why good glassware is indispensible.

Colour

Admire it. Each tea leaf on the plant can be developed into a white, green, oolong or black tea. The colour is the beginning of the story. Dark tones are heavier, greens and whites will be lighter. A cloudy infusion might suggest a dense mouth-feel. A dark hue to a white tea can indicate its age.

Temperature

Tea is a complex being. It reveals its flavours as it cools. Your palate is also a complex system and tastes flavour differently at different temperatures. Judge with your hand: When you can hold the bowl of the glass comfortably, it’s the right temperature for you to drink.

Aroma

Curvaceous glasses envelop the nose with aroma and offer up all the flavour complexity of the drink. Try smelling tea in a cup, or wine in a cup. The aroma is too quiet. Most of our taste is done with the nose.

Delivery

Shape affects the delivery of flavour to the sensory organs. Every glass has a specific height, aperture and liquid flow pattern to deliver flavour in the desired fashion. We’ve always been keen on Riedel’s O Range. We find the Cabernet shape makes an ideal all-round glass, while the Oaked Chardonnay glass enhances the lighter notes.

Style

Beautiful design makes life all the more enjoyable and these glasses are beautiful, expertly proportioned and light-as-air. They’re a pleasure to drink from and will change your enjoyment of tea forever.

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