Flavour is not a set of labels such as “floral” and “sweet” pasted onto a cup. Through the flavour wheel, composition–flavour relationships, a sensory terminology library and quality-triage tools, this chapter helps readers place aroma, taste, mouthfeel, liquor colour and leaf appearance in one language that can be shared and reviewed[1][2].
Compounds can provide clues, but one compound is not one sensation. Raw material, processing, storage, brewing, evaluation conditions and individual perception all shape the result; the chapter therefore offers both descriptive tools and clear boundaries for composition-to-sensation inference[1][2][3].
In this chapter
The Flavour Wheel & the Six Teas' Character
A cup's "taste" is really an ensemble of taste, aroma and mouthfeel. Behind every floral note and every hint of bitterness lies a specific molecule. The flavour wheel matches them up.
Composition & Flavour · the Ratio
Polyphenols, caffeine, theanine — the levels and ratio of three substances decide whether a cup leans fresh-mellow or bold. Dial them yourself with an interactive chart and understand the key polyphenol/amino-acid ratio.
Open sensory tools · professional beta in preparation
Build shared language before deeper triage
The open edition retains foundational terms, representative paths and every stop-use notice; the complete professional workflow is being prepared as a separate edition.Sensory terminology
Search foundational terms, English names and concise definitions across six sensory dimensions. Full distinctions, observation and source locators are moving to the professional edition.
Use open tool →Quality fault triage
Start from tea type and sensory signs to establish a basic frame, with high-frequency paths and every stop-use notice openly available.
Use open tool →Related chapters
- The tea plant — the material basis of flavour compounds
- The Science — how processing turns compounds into flavour
- Brewing — how brewing parameters release or suppress flavour
Editorial note
Later work will add controlled evaluation practice, flavour calibration and comparison exercises, profiles of representative teas, and closer links between water, brewing, storage and sensory outcomes. Quality triage will retain the workflow “possible cause → on-site check → small-batch adjustment,” rather than treating a sensory description as a remote diagnosis.
References
- Wan Xiaochun. Tea Biochemistry (3rd ed.). China Agriculture Press, 2003. — Authoritative textbook on tea taste and aroma chemistry, covering polyphenols, amino acids, caffeine, and volatile compounds.
- GB/T 23776-2018. Methodology of sensory evaluation of tea. National Standard of the People’s Republic of China. — A shared framework for evaluating tea aroma, taste, liquor colour and mouthfeel.
- Wang, K., et al. (2010). Comparison of catechins and amino acids in white, green, oolong, black, and pu-erh teas. Food Chemistry, 121(2), 338–344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.12.047 — Comparative compositional context for differences among tea categories.