Nobody discovers their tea by buying a kilo of one thing.

Why a selection

Chinese tea is not one drink. Green, white, oolong and dark teas come from the same plant and taste nothing alike, because of what happens to the leaf after picking. Tasting them beside each other is the fastest way to work out which one you want to keep in the cupboard.

How to taste across them

Brew each the same way for a fair comparison: same vessel, same leaf-to-water ratio, short infusions. Start with the lightest and work toward the darkest, or the delicate ones will taste of nothing.

Water matters more than you think

Hard tap water flattens green and white teas in particular. Filtered water, just off the boil for darker teas and slightly cooler for green, makes a larger difference than the price of the leaf.

Storing it

Airtight, dark, away from spices and coffee. Do not refrigerate.

Details

• Multiple traditional Chinese teas in one selection
• Portioned for tasting and comparison
• Arrives sealed — keep airtight after opening