Tea, its history and mystery

by Joseph M. Walsh

TEA-BLENDING AS A FINE ART.

Comparatively little is known of the art or principle of mixing or blending of teas in this country, American dealers and consumers alike being averse to the practice, regarding it as about on a parity with other methods of sophistication. Such objections are entirely erroneous, as it is an acknowledged principle that a combination of different varieties of wheat make better flour, the same being true of coffees and other articles of diet. So that the practice of blending teas, if properly understood and skillfully performed, would prove a more satisfactory and profitable one to both consumer and dealer. The object is not, as the public may imagine, to lower the quality or reduce the cost to the dealer, but simply to produce better tea and obtain a finer and more desirable flavor than that yielded by any single variety, one giving better satisfaction to the consumer at a more moderate price and at the same time allowing a larger margin of profit to the dealer. As an illustration, a dealer may be selling a tea possessing a suitable flavor, but be lacking in body or light in liquor, whereas, by adding to it one or two other teas possessing these qualities the defect is rectified and a full-flavored heavy-bodied tea is produced and the two latter also improved. It follows then that by the judicious blending or mixing of three to five teas, differing in variety and grade, a more uniform and pleasing tea, heavier in body, richer in liquor and flavor can be obtained by this principle at a more moderate cost.

The idea of blending teas originally arose from the experience incidentally gained that a beverage more pleasing, satisfactory and less costly, could be produced from a number of different varieties and grades judiciously and scientifically combined, than could otherwise be obtained from any single sort when used alone. No sooner was this experience confirmed than “mixing” or blending of teas was generally resorted to by many of those who had the dispensing of the article to the public. Some dealers had marked success in this branch of the business, while others again who attempted it failed completely in their efforts to produce any satisfactory results, the end accomplished being, instead of an improvement, an injury to the quality and value of the tea combined, often to such an extent that ordinary plain teas would have pleased better at less labor and cost. The cause of this failure was due alone to the want of that necessary training and experience which would enable the dealer to understand the characteristics and affinities of both the teas which are improved and those which are deteriorated by blending together. The knowledge and skill required for this particular branch of the tea business is only attained in perfection by numerous tests and constant experiments which are performed by mixing from two to five or more samples of tea, differing in variety, character and quality, alternately changing, altering and substituting them until the dealer has succeeded in producing a tea unique in character, the body, flavor and aroma of which will prove more pleasing and satisfactory to a majority of his patrons, at a more moderate cost, identified with himself and differing in every respect from that of any tea offered by his competitors. And after he has succeeded in his efforts he must be careful to keep it as uniform as possible, never allowing even his employees to know of what teas his combination is formed. By following these precautions he becomes noted for keeping a tea that cannot be secured elsewhere and one which, after his customers become once educated to that especial flavor, will not be satisfied with any other.

“The world moves” and the American tea dealer should move with it, as time and experience has proved beyond dispute that skilful and judicious Tea-blending will be found to amply repay the study and labor bestowed on it. The chief and only difficulty existing in the art lays in first finding a combination that will please a majority of your customers. The primary object and fundamental principle should be to obtain in a consolidated form, harmony, strength, pungency, flavor and piquancy and at the same time to effect these results with the smallest possible outlay. To accomplish these results three important points must be carefully studied: First, to learn the taste of your customers; second, to ascertain what teas combine best to suit this taste; third, to find out to what extent the component parts of a once adopted and satisfactory blend may be varied in case of difficulty to secure the same kind of teas for future use. These results can be best secured only by proper selecting, weighing, regulating and arranging the proportionate quantities and different qualities in such a manner as to obtain the best results at the smallest possible outlay. So that before proceeding to produce a specific blend or mixture the dealer must consider well the descriptions which will combine satisfactorily and these that will not unite harmoniously, as teas that are not improved are certain to be deteriorated by blending.

The chief art in successful tea-blending is to combine body, strength and some particular and distinct flavor in one, so as to please the majority of that portion of the public for whom the tea is prepared, and at the same time so arrange its constituent parts in such a manner that this desirable result may be obtained at the smallest possible outlay. To satisfactorily accomplish this object the dealer must first learn to understand thoroughly the taste of those for whom the tea is intended, and secondly, to study what teas will combine best to please their taste, as well as to know how far the component parts of the blend can be varied without seriously affecting its regularity so that advantage may be taken of the cheapness of any special variety or grade of tea. The importance of retaining the uniformity of a blend, when once a satisfactory combination has been discovered, must also not be overlooked. Other combinations may be as good, or better, their component parts skilfully arranged and properly mixed, but unless one standard blend is decided on, and then sedulously maintained, fault will be found and customers go elsewhere. This difficulty is best avoided by paying proper attention to the selection of the teas constituting the blend, having each sample matched as close as possible before purchasing, as well as by not changing more than one of the teas composing the blend at a time when it is the intention to alter the character of the tea. When a large number of teas are used in the formation of a blend, the alteration of any—provided that a particular one is fairly matched—will effect but a comparatively slight variation in its general character. But, if more than one change is to be made let it be done by degrees, for, if the changes in the various teas forming the blend are made gradually, few, if any, will detect the alteration.

The proper Blending of tea is an art that cannot be correctly taught in books or easily learned, it must be acquired by study, experiment and experience alone. Like all other knowledge there is “no royal road to it” the dealer must endeavor to learn himself, to understand the flavors, characters and affinities of the teas that will be either improved or deteriorated by combination, as no absolute rule can be substituted for the practical knowledge so acquired. In the proper blending of teas it is essential also that all combinations should be judiciously and thoroughly mixed together, the leaves of the component parts being selected with due regard to size, color and uniformity and broken as little as possible so that all may harmonize well together. It is a serious mistake to imagine that the successful or profitable blending of tea consists solely of an indiscriminate or injudicious heaping together carelessly and indifferently of two or more varieties of tea in one homogeneous mass without the least regard to quantities, qualities, affinities, affiliations or assimilations of leaf, liquor, character or flavor of the component parts. On the contrary, the art consists in combining the two or more different varieties or grades of tea forming the combination in an intelligent, judicious and scientific manner so as to yield an unique and particular tea of uniform quality, strength, flavor and pungency at a given price, pleasing and satisfactory to the greatest number and maintaining its standard at all times and under all circumstances.

But while it is admitted that it is next to impossible to understand tea-blending thoroughly without an apprenticeship to the business and that the combinations that may be formed from it are almost kaleidoscopic in their range, requiring a separate work. Still, even a novice need not spoil good tea by injudicious mixing, as a little study and a few simple rules carefully followed, although they cannot be substituted for years of experience in such a difficult branch, will prevent any serious error and ensure a fair measure of success. It must be understood at the outset that all combinations of tea, as a rule, must depend upon the character, flavor and grade of the tea most in demand in the section or neighborhood of the dealer, that particular variety forming the base or foundation of the blends prepared, that is, it must dominate the combination. To illustrate, if Oolongs be most in demand, the blend must be composed of from one-half to two-thirds Oolong, and so on with Congous, Greens, Japans or India sorts, as the case may be. Before proceeding to describe any particular blends it will be necessary to name the descriptions of tea that will not combine satisfactorily, as well as those which will amalgamate most harmoniously with each other. The former are described first, because teas not improved are certain to be deteriorated by blending. One of the first and fundamental rules in tea-blending is not to allow unclean or tainted tea, even in small quantities, to be introduced into any combination, which rule should be as rigidly adhered to in the low-priced blends as well in the higher grades, so that all “weedy,” “herby” and “wild” flavored Oolongs should be eschewed in blending.

In this country, where the taste for Oolong and Japan teas appear to be an inherited one, and where there is every prospect of their continuing to be the favorite teas with American consumers for all time to come, the best results are to be obtained from combinations formed of these varieties. Ripe, juicy and succulent “first crop” Foochows make the best foundation for all blends in this country. First-crop Formosas losing their fragrance almost as rapidly as Japans. Third-crop, or “Autumn-leaf” Formosas that have been well-fired, and which, unlike most other varieties, improve rather than deteriorate with time, becoming more “mellow” for at least the first year after arrival, rank next for this purpose, the action of the atmosphere in exposure bringing out their fragrance more fully, and at the same time causing their high-toast or burnt flavor to disappear. Bold-leaf, sweet-drawing Amoys; dark-leaved, full-liquoring Foochows, and large-leaf “nosey” Formosas and thick, sweet, “fruity” Congous make the best foundation for all tea blends, and for the purpose of imparting a rich fragrance to any combination a choice or “pekoed” Formosa will be found the most desirable and valuable, its high character and great piquancy being possessed by no other variety grown. A small quantity of a really choice or even tolerably good Formosa tea will penetrate and dominate a blend, making itself felt and tasting through it. Its value consisting in its delicate “cow-slip” aroma and great piquancy, mellowing the liquor and giving a rich “bouquet” to the infusion. It is also a tea that when once tea-drinkers become educated or attached to its matchless qualities are ever after hard to please with any other.

Low-grade and artificially-colored Pan-fired Japans, owing to their usually “brassy” or “fishy” flavor, and well-known tendency to early decay, which has a highly detrimental effect on the other teas should be avoided, while new, “mealy,” Basket-fired Japans are especially adapted for all Black tea blends, as they impart a peculiarly rich color and tone to the liquor and a very pleasing mellowness to the flavor of the combination, but should never form the base of the blend. “Old,” “musty,” “mousey,” or “smoky” Congous, too “high-fired” and excessively “tarry” Souchongs should also be avoided altogether, as they invariably detract from or destroy the flavor and aroma of the finer kinds used in the blend, their deleterious effects being felt through the entire combination, and all “dusty” and “stemmy” teas in particular, for while some tea-drinkers will bear with a small quantity of these most objectionable features in tea, the vast majority will protest, as it is next to impossible to prevent dust and stems from finding their way into the tea-cup.

The appended formulas are not given with the intention of laying down any fixed or positive rules, but simply as suggesting a code that may be useful to those who are compelled to blend tea without ever having an opportunity of thoroughly mastering the art. Only two to five varieties, at current prices, are used, in order to illustrate the principle more simply, as more complex combinations should not be attempted until the dealer has acquired that practical knowledge attained only by experiment and experience.