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Professional cupping sets are perfect for this exercise, but making individual traditional cups will suffice as well if you have a small white saucer on which to display the infused leaf. White is also the best choice for cup color, as its neutrality serves to best display the true color characteristics of the liquor.

Begin by evaluating the appearance and aroma of the dry leaf. Note the shape and color of the leaf itself. Try to describe the aromas that the leaf presents to you in terms of smells with which you are already familiar.

The next step will be to steep the leaf. When the brew is ready, display the steeped leaf on the lid of your cupping set or on your saucer. Evaluate the appearance and aroma of the steeped leaf first, then the appearance and aroma of the brewed liquor. Save the tasting ‘til last. This will allow the liquor to cool to the point where your palate will best be able to detect all of the nuances in flavor.

When tasting the tea, be sure to "slurp". By drawing air into your mouth at the same time that the liquor is entering the same, you will be able to more fully detect the many flavors that had been locked in the leaf until you released them.