## 5 Conclusions  
This study employed an integrated analytical approach--combining HPLC, GC-MS, OAV assessment, and sensory evaluation with multivariate statistics--to identify key flavor determinants in five NGBT cultivars (JSH, DXY, DXE, QTZ, and YHJ). Significant inter-cultivar taste variations were primarily attributed to differential levels of total catechins, simple catechins, CG, EGCG, esterified catechins, and EGC, as established through compositional analysis and OPLS-DA modeling (VIP > 1). Ninety-seven aroma compounds were identified by GC-MS, with 8 dual-criterion markers (VIP > 1 and OAV > 1) serving as primary discriminants. Notably, geraniol was significantly enriched in JSH, while linalool dominated YHJ's volatile profile. Sensory assessment confirmed distinct organoleptic signatures: JSH excelled in sweetness, thickness, smoothness, freshness, and honey-like aroma; DXY exhibited pronounced strength, fruity, and floral notes; DXE displayed maximal astringency and floral intensity; QTZ demonstrated superior roasted character; and YHJ was characterized by dominant nutty attributes. Critically, correlation analysis established that the T/F ratio was positively associated with freshness and sweetness (_p_ < 0.05). These findings provide a biochemical foundation for understanding the unique flavor chemistry of NGBTs and offer actionable targets for breeding programs aimed at optimizing desirable sensory traits in regional black tea cultivars. The following supporting information can be downloaded at: [[https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/foods14142466/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/foods14142466/s1)]([https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/foods14142466/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/foods14142466/s1)), Table S1: The volatile components of 5 NGBTs; Table S2: The calibration curve information of Caffeine, Theanine, and Catechins; Table S3: The result of sensory evaluation in 5 NGBTs; Table S4: The VIP value in OPLS-DA of non-volatile compounds; Table S5: The VIP value in OPLS-DA of volatile compounds; Figure S1: The VIP value in OPLS-DA of volatile compounds; Figure S2: GC-MS chromatogram of 5 NGBTs; Figure S3: HPLC chromatogram of 5 NGBTs. Conceptualization, J.C. ([PERSON]) and B.L. ; methodology, J.C. ([PERSON]) and H.Z. ; software, J.C. ([PERSON]) and B.L. ; validation, J.C. ([PERSON]), B.L., and H.Z. ; formal analysis, J.C. ([PERSON]) and B.L. ; investigation, J.C. ([PERSON]), B.L., and Y.Z. ([PERSON]); resources, P.Z., H.M., and X.T. ; data curation, J.C. ([PERSON]) and B.L. ; writing--original draft preparation, J.C. ([PERSON]) and B.L. ; writing--review and editing, P.Z. and S.L. ; visualization, [PERSON] ([PERSON]) and B.L. ; supervision, [PERSON] ([PERSON]) and [PERSON] ([PERSON]); project administration, B.S., H.Z., P.Z., and S.L. ; funding acquisition, B.S., H.Z., P.Z., and S.L. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. This work was supported by the Innovative team construction project of modern agricultural industrial technology system in Guangdong Province with agricultural products as unit (tea industry technology system) (2024 CXTD11). **Institutional Review Board Statement:** This research project involved simple sensory evaluation of taste and aroma of tea (traditional Chinese beverage), was conducted in strict accordance with ethical guidelines and was guided by the Declaration of Helsinki. It collects no sensitive personal data and has no commercial implications. All participants received full disclosure and provided informed consent prior to engagement, with guaranteed rights to withdraw at any time. In accordance with Article 3 of the Ethical Review Methods for Life Science and Medical Research Involving Human Subjects issued by National Health Commission, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of PRC (Document National Health Science and Education Development [2023] No.