Apply

Certification · Level 2

Level 2

Where enthusiasm becomes expertise.

Level 2 is the core of the CCTP. In 25–30 hours, you build a complete framework for sensory evaluation, learn fundamental production science, and understand regional and cultural context. In-person exam. Course and tasting materials included.

No formal prerequisite. Genuine interest is sufficient.

Schedule8 Monday evenings
FormatIn person · Toronto (exact venue TBC)
Study time25–30 hours
Cohort size5–7 students
Kit
  • Tea samples, purposefully sourced references
  • Study material, digital lecture notes
  • Tasting workbook (SATT)
Price$395 CADApply →

Teaching Goal

The assessment method is rooted in practicality. You blind taste the teas, write tasting notes, and justify your answers. The rigour is what makes the credential credible.

Nine Modules

Module 01

Processing Science, The Six Categories

Oxidation, kill-green, withering, fermentation, aging. The biochemistry behind colour, aroma, and mouthfeel.

Module 02

Terroir, Soil, Altitude, Cultivar, Season

How geographical factors influence flavour. Harvest seasons as quality determinants.

Module 03

Chinese Tea Regions

Ten primary regions across Mainland China and Taiwan: geography, signature cultivars, and flavour profile. Applied, not memorized.

Module 04

Systematic Tasting, Five Qualities

形色香味韵, form, colour, aroma, taste, resonance. The Systematic Approach to Tea Tasting (SATT). Weighted scoring grid.

Module 05

Quality Assessment

What separates fine tea from mediocre. Defect recognition, ageing impacts, quality indicators in various infusions.

Module 06

Tea Practice, 习茶

Vessel selection, water precision, the art of a hosted session. Tea practice with structure and intention, not decoration.

Module 07

Gongfu Method, Precision Brewing

Ratio, temperature, time, parameters to customize the sensory experience. Brewing as an evaluation tool.

Module 08

Hospitality Application

Tea stage and menu design, pairing logic, staff training, wellness contexts. Knowledge and experience that work professionally.

Module 09

Blind Tasting, Exam Readiness

Three timed blind tastings from the course material kit. Written analysis: family, region, processing, quality. Diagnostic review.

Apply for Level 2 →

Learning Outcomes

LO 1
Explain the processing chemistry behind all six tea categories and describe how production decisions determine sensory character.
LO 2
Relate terroir factors, altitude, soil, cultivar, and harvest season, to the flavour profile of a specific tea and its region of origin.
LO 3
Apply the Five Qualities framework (形色香味韵) in SATT to produce a calibrated, scored tasting assessment with written justification.
LO 4
Demonstrate precision brewing using gongfu method and explain the sensory consequences of each parameter decision. Host a structured Chinese tea session.
LO 5
Construct a professional tea menu, apply pairing logic, and communicate tea knowledge effectively to a non-specialist audience.

Assessment

Written exam

50 questions, in person

Tasting analysis

Two teas (blind)

Pass mark

75%

Course Material, Included

Tea samples

Purposefully sourced references for the learning sequence

Study material

Curated syllabus with digital lecture notes

Tasting workbook

L2 Systematic Approach to Tea Tasting (SATT)

Pilot Cohort · Now Enrolling

Email now to apply. Spots are limited.

The pilot cohort is 5–7 students. Introduce yourself, tell us what brought you to Chinese tea, and why Level 2 is the right next step. No formal prerequisite. Genuine interest is sufficient. Enrollment includes a short entry assessment.

Cohort size

5–7 students

Format

In person, Toronto

Study time

25–30 hours

L2 Tuition

$395 CAD

Email Now to Apply

Responses within 48 hours.

Apply →See Workshops →