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The six traditional categories of Chinese tea are green, white, yellow, oolong, black, and dark tea, classified primarily according to processing rather than simply leaf color. Pu-erh is generally associated with dark tea, while Longjing belongs to green tea, Tieguanyin to oolong, and Dianhong to black tea.

Tea can taste better after several infusions because the leaves gradually hydrate and open, changing extraction and revealing different layers of aroma, flavor, sweetness, texture, and aftertaste.

This is particularly noticeable with Chinese oolong, black tea, white tea, and many pu-erh teas.

The first infusion tastes different because the dry leaves have not yet fully hydrated and opened, while the initial extraction removes a different balance of aromatic and soluble compounds than later infusions.

This is one of the most interesting aspects of Chinese tea brewing.

A good tea does not necessarily have one fixed flavor.

Its character can change dramatically from infusion to infusion.