My journey in the tea world grew out of my good fortune to be able to visit Sri Lanka and experience the unique culture the country has, and the role tea has played in this uniqueness. I was extremely interested in the work of Dilmah and the School of Tea it has developed. This includes the social responsibility activities and support of young Sri Lankan people to gain hospitality qualifications.

 

During the Covid-19 pandemic I became curious as to how the company had coped with the closures and the impact on the hospitality industry. When investigating I found the on-line Master of Tea the company had developed. If ever there was a time, I needed to do something different – this, was it. I was in a foreign country coping with on-line classes at the university and the resultant isolation that created. I enrolled in the first module – The history and culture of tea – I was hooked – 14 modules later I am a tea convert and passionate about tea and the tranquility it can provide especially in turbulent times.

 

Hence the creation of The Five Senses of Tea. The objective is to respond to the growing need for people to have time and space to relax and re-charge and to re-focus even if it is the just the time it takes to have a cup of tea. We aim to promote the importance of harmony and indulgence as part of the tea drinking experience.

 

While the 4 senses of

• Taste

• Eye

• Smell

• Palate

 

—are present and essential, it is the fifth sense that elevates tea drinking to a higher level: the sense of tranquility. This sense is critical to the full enjoyment of the tea experience, allowing one to immerse in a moment of peace and mindfulness. As acknowledged by Dilmah Tea and other tea experts, engaging all five senses enhances the tea-drinking experience.

 

There has been a move away from tea as central to the tea experiences provided by afternoon and high teas. The focus has shifted to the food and people are less aware of the relationship between taste, aroma, smell, feel and sight of tea and the tranquility this relationship creates.