I was reading about teawares the other day and learned about this interesting cup, aroma cup. It is the first time I’ve heard about it and it’s worth writing a story.
The aroma cup, or sometimes called fragrance cup (闻香杯), is a cup specifically used to small tea. It is the one on the right in the picture above. An aroma cup, a tasting cup, and a saucer together form a set, as seen in the picture. Aroma cup is taller and thinner than the tasting cup on the left. Its cylindrical shape is designed to enhance the fragrance of the tea.
It’s not very common to see aroma cup these days since it’s used for oolong tea and also you can just smell tea using the lid or directly from tasting cup. I think the aroma cup adds more fun to a tea ceremony.
Here are some video clips that explain how to use an aroma cup and I highly recommend trying after seeing them.
[1] The Guide to Brewing Tea — Mei Leaf
[2] How to Use An Aroma Cup for Tea — bon teavant
