Flavour balance is what separates an average cup of tea from a truly satisfying one. It’s not about how strong a tea is, how many ingredients it contains, or how unusual it sounds on paper. Instead, balance is achieved when no single note dominates, and every element—aroma, taste, body, and finish—works together in harmony.
At Dolshyne, flavour balance is a deliberate process. Each blend is created to feel complete on the palate—smooth, expressive, and consistent from the first sip to the last. Understanding how this balance is achieved helps tea drinkers make more informed choices and appreciate what goes into a well-crafted blend.
What Does “Balanced Flavour” Mean in Tea?
Balanced flavour in tea refers to the controlled relationship between key taste elements:
- Bitterness (from tea leaves and tannins)
- Sweetness (natural sugars in leaves, flowers, or fruits)
- Acidity (light citrus or floral brightness)
- Aroma (volatile compounds that shape perception)
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Mouthfeel and finish (how the tea feels and lingers)
According to the Tea Association of the USA, well-balanced teas allow these elements to complement each other rather than compete, resulting in clarity and depth rather than intensity alone.
The Building Blocks of Flavour in Tea Blending
Every tea blend starts with structure. Balanced flavour is built layer by layer, not added all at once.
1. The Base Tea: The base tea forms the backbone of the blend. Its natural character determines how much additional flavour it can carry.
- Green teas tend to be lighter and more sensitive to overpowering ingredients.
- Black teas are bolder and can support citrus, spice, or floral oils.
- Herbal bases are often neutral and allow individual ingredients to stand out.
2. Supporting Ingredients: These include flowers, herbs, citrus peels, fruits, or natural oils. Their role is to enhance, not overwhelm.
3. Finish and Aftertaste: A well-balanced blend finishes cleanly, without sharp bitterness or lingering heaviness.
Choosing the Right Base: How Dolshyne Sets the Foundation
- Fruit & Bloom Sencha Tea: This blend uses sencha green tea as its base—known for its smooth, grassy profile and mild sweetness. Sencha is widely used in premium blends because it offers structure without bitterness when handled correctly.
Here, fruit and floral elements are layered carefully so the green tea remains present, not hidden.
Why it works:
The natural freshness of sencha provides balance, allowing brighter notes to appear without sharpness.
- Imperial Earl Grey Tea: Imperial Earl Grey is built on a strong black tea base, traditionally chosen for its ability to carry citrus oils like bergamot. According to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 3103), black teas with higher oxidation levels provide better flavour stability and depth.
In this blend, the bergamot oil is controlled so it lifts the tea rather than masking it.
Why it works:
Bold base + precise citrus application = clarity, not bitterness.
- Blue Pea Oasis: Blue pea flower has a mild, neutral taste and striking natural colour. This makes it an ideal base for subtle flavour work.
Instead of overpowering the blend, it acts as a canvas, allowing delicate aromatic elements to stay clean and restrained.
Why it works:
Minimal base flavour ensures balance is maintained visually and on the palate.
How Flavours Are Balanced: Key Blending Techniques
1.Proportion Control: Balance is largely about quantity. Adding more of an ingredient doesn’t improve flavour—it often disrupts it. Experienced blenders work with precise ratios to maintain consistency across batches.
2.Layering, Not Mixing: Balanced blends are built in layers:
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First impression (aroma)
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Mid-palate (body and main flavour)
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Finish (aftertaste)
This ensures the tea evolves gently rather than hitting all notes at once.
3.Contrast Without Conflict: Small amounts of contrast improve balance. For example:
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Slight citrus brightness to lift heavier notes
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Mild herbal tones to soften bitterness
Aroma and Visual Balance Matter Too
Flavour is not experienced through taste alone. Studies in sensory science confirm that aroma contributes up to 80% of perceived flavour.
For example:
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Imperial Earl Grey’s citrus aroma prepares the palate before the first sip.
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Blue Pea Oasis’s colour sets expectations for lightness and clarity.
These cues help the tea feel balanced even before tasting.
Flavour balance is not accidental—it’s crafted. Dolshyne’s tea blends reflect careful attention to proportion, contrast, and clarity, ensuring each tea expresses its character without excess.
If you’re interested in exploring teas that prioritise harmony over intensity, Dolshyne’s curated tea collection offers a thoughtful place to begin—where balance is not a claim, but a practice.
Explore the full tea collection at Dolshyne and discover flavours that feel composed, expressive, and complete.