What Does Astringency Mean For Tea Drinking?

Astringency in tea is often misunderstood. While it is often confused with the unpleasant taste of bitterness, it is actually a physical sensation rather than a taste at all. It is that puckering, dry feeling that you experience when you drink red wine or consume unripened fruits, such as green bananas. It can affect the palate and the roof of the mouth. While it usually occurs in tandem with bitter tastes, they are separate from each other.

When we hosted our booth at Tea Festival, we introduced a...