Agony of the Leaves - A romantic expression, describing the unfolding of the leaves when boiling water is added. We prefer "the ecstasy of the leaves."

Aroma - Denotes that both the tea leaf and liquor have at least one of a certain number of smells which are desirable and are highly valued. Such aroma is connected with flavor and is often highly fragrant. Tea contains about 300 components, may of which have desirable aromas.

Bakey - An aroma of high fired teas, or tea from which too much moisture has been driven off.

Banji - Hindi word for "sterile," refers to two leaves without a bud or two leaves and a dormant bud. See also "flush."

Banking - In tea tasting, the retention on the drained leaves of considerable liquor which may only be squeezed out.

Basket Fired - Japanese tea which has been dried by firing in a basket.

Biscuity - A pleasant aroma occasionally smelled in the leaf or liquor of well-fired Assam tea, often associated with malty.

Black Tea - Any tea that has been thoroughly fermented before being fired.

Blend - A mixture of different growths of tea or different types of tea.

Blistered - Leaf which is swollen and hollow inside. Blisters are formed during the firing of a leaf which has been dried too quickly.

Body - A liquor having both fullness and strength as opposed to a thin liquor.

Bold - Large leaf which could to advantage have been cut smaller.

Bright - Sparkling clear liquor. Denotes a good tea which has life as opposed to a dull looking leaf or liquor.

Brisk - Pleasantly astringent, not flat liquor. Usually of pungent character.

Broken - Leaf that has been broken into smaller pieces by rolling or passing through a cutter.

Broker - A person who negotiates the sale of tea from one dealer to another and takes a brokerage commission from the seller.

Brownish - Leaf which is brown in colour rather than black, generally resulting from firing under-withered tea at too high a temperature or due to poor plucking. However, some tippy teas have a brown leaf which is desirable.

Burnt - An unpleasant taste of burnt organic matter in the liquor and a similar smell in the infused leaf is a characteristic of teas that have been fired at too high a temperature.

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