Wet Leaf (Infused Leaf)
Wet leaf, or infused leaf, is the leaf after steeping, inspected by tasters to judge plucking standard, leaf integrity, processing and freshness that the dry leaf can hide.
Definition
Wet leaf (the infused leaf) is what remains in the pot or gaiwan after brewing. Opened and laid flat, it shows things that tightly rolled or broken dry leaf conceals. Professional tasters always look at it, and it is the easiest way for a home drinker to learn what they are actually buying. The first thing to check is the plucking standard: whether the leaf is a single bud, a bud with one or two leaves, or larger mature leaves, and whether those sets are whole or torn. Uniform, intact leaves indicate hand plucking and careful handling. A mix of sizes, stems and fragments points to machine harvesting or lower grades. The second is processing. Partially oxidized oolong shows green leaf with reddened edges where the leaf was bruised. Black tea should be an even coppery brown. Green tea should be bright green or olive without dark or burnt patches. A heavy roast leaves the leaf dark and stiff; leaf that stays tightly closed after several steeps can mean old stock or overroasting.
In Depth
After the second or third infusion, tip the leaf onto a white plate and spread a few pieces with your fingers. Count bud-to-leaf ratio, check whether leaves are whole, and look at color. In Tieguanyin and Dong Ding, a red rim around green leaf is the sign of traditional bruising (yaoqing).
Smell the wet leaf in the gaiwan lid as well. Aroma on the lid and leaf often shows roast, floral notes or faults more clearly than the liquor. Sour, musty or smoky notes that do not belong to the style are warning signs.
For pu'er, wet leaf separates honest blends from marketing. Large, thick leaves with prominent veins fit large-leaf Yunnan material; very small, uniform buds in a cake labeled "old tree" deserve questions. In shou pu'er, the leaf should be dark brown and soft, not black and crumbly.
See Also
- Tea Grading by Eye
- Oolong Processing
- Gongfu Tasting Notes