Which Chinese tea should you try first?

Start with a flavour that interests you and buy a small sample. A mug with a roomy, removable infuser works for most teas and lets you try them without buying extra teaware.

Flat, dry Longjing leaves.
Photo: Romain Guy · CC BY-SA 2.0

Dry Bai Mudan leaves and buds.
Photo: chaidrakon.ru · CC BY 3.0

Dian Hong with golden tea buds.
Photo: Sjschen · CC BY 3.0

Start with flavours you enjoy

For malt and honey notes, try Dian Hong black tea. For floral aromas, consider a lightly roasted Tieguanyin or Baozhong; for roasted notes, a Dong Ding sold in that style. Longjing may appeal if you like fresh, grassy flavours, while Bai Mudan introduces white tea. Dark, woody ripe pu-erh may interest a coffee drinker, but does not reproduce coffee’s flavour or effects. Flavour varies between batches, even when they share the same tea name.

Buy enough to try again

Two or three 15–25 g samples let you compare teas and adjust the brewing. A 5 g sample can also introduce a tea, though it may not cover several attempts using fresh portions of dry leaves. If you already know what you want, buying one tea is fine. Ask for ingredients, batch details and a simple recipe for your vessel. Age, a famous name and a high price are not requirements.

Use a simple mug recipe

For a 250 ml mug with an infuser: Dian Hong, 2–3 g at 90–95 °C, taste after 3 minutes; light oolong, 2–3 g at 90–95 °C, taste after 2 minutes; Longjing, about 2 g at 80–85 °C, taste after 1 minute. For Bai Mudan, start with 2–3 g at 85–90 °C for 3 minutes. Then remove the infuser. Adjust the recipe after tasting, changing one setting at a time so you can tell what helped. You do not need separate teaware for every type.

Try it again and adjust

If it is too bitter, use less leaf or a shorter infusion. If it is watery, steep a little longer or add more leaf next time. Note what worked. Young raw pu-erh and Dancong are open to beginners too; small portions and a short first trial are particularly useful, following their individual guides. If several attempts leave you unconvinced, try another batch or type. You do not have to learn to like every tea.

Questions and answers

Do I need a gaiwan for oolong?

No. A mug with a removable infuser works well for oolong and lets you stop the steep when you like the strength. Try a gaiwan if you want to compare a series of short infusions.

How do I know I’ve chosen the right tea?

You enjoy drinking it, it is easy to brew the way you like, and it fits your budget. Your tasting notes may differ from the seller’s, and that is fine.