In response to pleas from our customers, we rated our teas on three attributes. Michael gladly tastes each and every tea, and rates each tea on a scale of 0 to 5 in three categories. A rating of 0 indicates the tea has none of that particular characteristic, and a rating of 5 indicates that it is a primary characteristic.

• Briskness refers to a tea's ability to make your mouth pucker. This is also known as astringency. Some astringency makes a tea brisk and desirable (like white wine). Too much briskness can be a problem, but may be controlled by reducing the brewing time.
• Body refers to whether or not a tea feels thick in the mouth, such as Assam, or is very light or watery. Many green teas have very little body.
• Aroma refers to whether or not the tea has a pleasant smell. A tea with a great aroma is prized by many drinkers, yet it may not have the body that others would expect.