Aside from the variety, tea is classified into grades. Generally, appraisement of tea is based on five principles, namely, shape of the leaf, color of the liquid, aroma, taste and appearance of the infused leaf. The judgment is usually made according to the artistic tastes of the tea tasters. The evenness and transparency of the leaf will decide the color of the liquid. Excellent liquid should not contain rough burnt red leaves or red stems.
Aroma is the most important factor in judging the quality of a kind of tea.
Putting 3 grams leaves into 100 milliliters boiled water, people can judge the quality of the tea by the smell from the liquid. The judgment should be completed through the taste of the liquid and the appearance of the infused leaves.