What speed dating taught us about tea tasting

What Speed Dating Taught Us About Tea Tasting

We once had a trainee who decided that the path to finding his life partner was through speed dating. For the uninitiated, speed dating is “an organized social activity in which people seeking romantic relationships have a series of short conversations with potential partners in order to determine whether there is mutual interest.”

Spoiler alert: the mission was not a resounding success. However, in his quest for love, our trainee stumbled upon a surprising revelation—speed daters and tea tasters share more in common than you might think.

Both are faced with a dazzling array of candidates to evaluate in a very short time. Both are tasked with making quick yet meaningful judgments. And both must wrestle with the thorny challenge of overcoming their natural biases.

For instance, first impression bias is a shared nemesis. Just as a speed dater might dismiss someone based on a bold fashion choice or a slightly awkward handshake, a tea taster might be swayed (positively or negatively) by the look of the leaves or the color of the brew. Sight, being the dominant sense, can sometimes overpower the subtler signals of smell and taste.

Then there’s the familiarity bias, where we’re drawn to what feels safe and known. In the speed dating context, this might mean favoring someone who reminds you of a past partner (for better or worse). In the tasting room, it could lead to favoring a tea style you’ve enjoyed before, even if it’s not the standout in the lineup.

But wait—there’s more! The halo effect plays a role, too. Just as a charming smile or witty comment might give a speed dater undue advantage, a tea with an exotic name or premium price tag might unfairly cloud our judgment.

Finally, there’s recency bias—the tendency to remember and favor the last thing you tried. It’s why speed daters might leave thinking fondly of the final person they spoke to, or why a tea taster might feel more impressed by the brew that closes the session.

So what did our trainee bring back to the tasting room after his romantic escapade?

A simple yet profound lesson: "If in doubt, give it another chance."

But there’s more to it. In tea tasting, as in life, our initial impressions aren’t always the full story. Taking a moment to re-evaluate—to infuse a tea a little longer, to taste it again, or to approach it with fresh eyes—can reveal hidden complexities we missed the first time.

The same principle applies outside the cup. Whether we’re evaluating tea, people, or new experiences, it’s worth questioning the judgments we make in haste. Biases are part of being human, but recognizing them helps us savor what’s truly extraordinary.

After all, the best teas (and the best connections) often reveal their brilliance not at first sip, but on the second, third, or even fourth.