The multisensory science and aesthetics of teaware

Abstract

The last few years have seen a marked growth of research interest in the study of the influence of the drinking vessel on the consumer's experience of a wide range of different beverages, ranging from wine to beer, and from coffee to hot chocolate. Until recently, however, far less research has been directed toward studying the impact of the drinking vessel on people's experience of tea, no matter whether served hot, as an iced tea, or as a sparkling tea beverage. Nevertheless, an emerging body of rigorous scientific research now demonstrates the significant impact that the material properties of the drinking vessel, and the semantic associations that different groups of consumers may have with it, can exert over both the sensory discriminative and hedonic aspects of the tea-drinking experience. This narrative historical review therefore summarizes what is currently known concerning the impact of the drinking vessel on the tea-drinking experience, and a number of relevant directions for future research are also recommended. Given the breadth of the scope, the focus is primarily on the contemporary service of the hot beverage in the West.