Are You Drinking From The Right Teacup?

Just like drinking wine and whiskey, tea can taste different when sipped from differently shaped cups. There is an ideal cup shape for each tea type that will allow for better tasting and sensory experiences. If you haven’t explored this, you must try this with your favourite tea. Cup shapes:

1. Sniffer Cups

   These tall, very narrow cups are typically matched with a teacup and are used to catch the scents of very aromatic teas. Its shape helps to bring scents up and forward, to allow you to enjoy a full experience of the tea. This is a traditional method of drinking quality teas and takes a bit of practice!
   
   Step 1- pour tea into sniffer cup
   Step 2- smell the complexity in the aroma
   Step 3- place regular teacup upside down, covering the sniffer cup
   Step 4- hold both cups together and flip
   Step 5- drink from teacup
   Step 6- the aroma changes in the sniffer as the temperature decreases
   
   Ideal teas: aromatic teas (Dragonball Jasmine, Honey Orchid Dan Cong, Treasure Green Emerald Silver, Floating Scent Iron Buddha)
   
   

2. Tall, flared lip

   Similar in function to sniffer cups, tall cups with flared lips are a great way to enjoy aromatic teas thanks to the way it directs scents upward toward the drinker. These come in many shapes and sizes but are versatile in tea types and easier to use.
   
   Ideal teas: aromatic teas (Dragonball Jasmine, Honey Orchid Dan Cong, Treasure Green Emerald Silver)
   
   

3. Wide brim, half moon

   These wide teacups are shaped to enjoy teas with rich essential oils. Teas that have been aged and stored with care are rich in flavour and contain essential oils from its leaves when they were first picked. The wide brim of these cups allow drinkers to enjoy the visual part of the essential oils that collect at the top layer of the tea, often called a tea cloud.
   
   Ideal teas: Cooked and Raw Pu-erhs, Luk On Basket, Hei Chas
   
   

If you are a lover and are looking to further your tea experience, there are many teacups that are versatile for all teas.  In the end of the day, it is up to your personal preference so find one that fits your hand nicely and you like to look at!