In the TMC Tea Preparation category, participants compete in the skill of preparing and serving pure tea (a drink made from parts of the Camellia sinensis plant without any additives).
During the performance, the contestant must prepare and serve judges two teas: Master’s tea and Organizers’ tea. Master’s tea can be any (but pure tea only) and can be prepared and served in any way. Organizers’ tea is prepared and served according to the conditions set forth by the organizer of the tournament. The conditions for preparing and serving Organizers’ tea are communicated to participants in advance. These conditions may be different at different tournaments.
Judges evaluate each tea (Master’s and Organizers’) separately by the following criteria.
BREWING TECHNIQUE AND SERVING MANNER: Suitability of the technique to the chosen tea, rationality and confidence during performance, neatness of service, convenience of degustation.
PRESENTATION: Reasons behind choosing the sample, knowledge of tea, description of the brewing process, accuracy of predicting taste, aroma and aftertaste of tea, artistry and visual appeal of performance.
AROMA: Purity, conformance of aroma to predictions and expectations, subjective evaluation of aroma.
TASTE: Complexity, balance, conformance of taste to predictions and expectations, subjective evaluation of taste.
AFTERTASTE: Definability of aftertaste, conformance of aftertaste to predictions and expectations, subjective evaluation of aftertaste.