Begin with identity
FAO distinguishes tea made from Camellia sinensis from herbal infusions. That is a useful starting point for a buying brief: establish what the ingredient is before moving on to the product story.
For a loose-leaf product, a tea bag and a ready-to-drink beverage, a supplier may need very different information. Describe the intended use, the evaluation method and the product format together.
Compare like with like
Our editorial recommendation is to keep a simple tasting record with the supplier identity, lot and preparation method. Use the same water, measured leaf quantity and brewing procedure when comparing samples.
Treat the first tasting as the start of a discussion. Ask what the supplier can document about origin, handling and lot consistency, and keep those records alongside the accepted sample. A clear brief is more useful than a long list of flavour adjectives.
Further reading
Researched and written with AI assistance; references are listed for verification.
