Senior Tea Tasting Specialist / Tea Connoisseur

About the JobRole DescriptionA Senior Tea Tasting Specialist / Tea Connoisseur is responsible for the professional evaluation, selection, quality assessment, and presentation of premium tea products. The role combines advanced sensory expertise with tea sourcing, supplier management, quality assurance, product development, and premium customer engagement.The successful candidate will possess a highly developed palate and comprehensive knowledge of tea origins, cultivars, harvesting seasons, production techniques, brewing methods, and sensory characteristics. The position will work closely with suppliers, buyers, hospitality teams, product developers, and premium customers to maintain exceptional tea standards.Key ResponsibilitiesLead structured tasting sessions for premium, specialty, and limited-production teas.Evaluate tea leaves and brewed infusions for aroma, appearance, color, flavor, body, texture, balance, complexity, and finish.Identify subtle sensory differences between tea samples from different regions, estates, harvests, and processing methods.Assess the freshness, consistency, and overall quality of incoming tea products.Identify undesirable flavors, aromas, defects, storage-related issues, and quality deviations.Prepare detailed professional tasting notes and sensory profiles.Establish product benchmarks and reference standards for different tea categories.Conduct comparative and blind tasting sessions when required.Recommend teas for approval, rejection, further testing, blending, or product development.Evaluate tea samples received from growers, estates, exporters, importers, merchants, and distributors.Support tea sourcing and procurement decisions through professional sensory assessments.Review supplier samples and provide technical feedback regarding quality and product characteristics.Maintain communication with domestic and international tea suppliers.Monitor supplier performance and product consistency throughout the purchasing cycle.Assist with supplier evaluations, product audits, and quality reviews.Review documentation relating to tea origin, harvest period, processing method, grade, packaging, and storage.Maintain accurate records of tasting results, supplier information, product specifications, and approval decisions.Maintain an organized collection of reference teas and specialty samples.Develop standardized procedures for tea preparation and professional tasting.Establish appropriate parameters for water temperature, infusion time, leaf quantity, brewing equipment, and tasting conditions.Ensure tasting results remain consistent and reproducible.Train junior tea specialists and beverage staff in sensory evaluation techniques.Provide coaching on tea terminology, identification, preparation, presentation, and service.Conduct educational tasting sessions for customers, employees, corporate clients, and hospitality teams.Develop tea-related educational materials, tasting guides, product descriptions, and training resources.Support the creation of premium tea menus and curated tea collections.Recommend teas for restaurants, hotels, private dining experiences, luxury lounges, specialty tea rooms, and retail collections.Develop tea and food-pairing recommendations in cooperation with culinary professionals.Assist with designing tea-tasting experiences, private consultations, and premium customer events.Explain tea origins, production techniques, cultural background, preparation methods, and sensory characteristics to customers.Assist premium customers in selecting teas based on taste preferences, occasion, menu pairing, and personal interests.Monitor international developments in the specialty tea industry.Research emerging tea origins, cultivars, production methods, processing innovations, and consumer trends.Conduct market and competitor reviews of premium tea products.Support the development of new tea blends, signature products, seasonal selections, and exclusive collections.Evaluate prototypes and new tea products before commercial release.Provide sensory recommendations to product-development and marketing teams.Review product descriptions and marketing materials for sensory accuracy.Participate in tea exhibitions, professional tastings, trade events, competitions, and supplier meetings.Represent the organization at industry events and customer-facing tea experiences.Monitor appropriate storage conditions for high-value and specialty teas.Ensure products are protected from moisture, heat, light, odors, and other environmental factors.Assist with inventory reviews and identify quality-sensitive or limited-production products requiring special handling.Maintain confidentiality regarding proprietary blends, supplier information, sourcing strategies, product launches, and commercial activities.Ensure all work follows company policies, food-safety procedures, quality standards, and applicable UAE requirements.Perform other tea evaluation, sourcing, training, quality-control, and advisory duties as assigned.RequirementsBachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Agriculture, Hospitality, Beverage Management, or a related discipline is preferred.Professional training or certification in tea studies, tea tasting, tea sommelier practice, sensory science, or beverage management is an advantage.Extensive professional experience in tea tasting, specialty tea, tea sourcing, luxury hospitality, premium beverage retail, or a related field.Advanced knowledge of international tea varieties, origins, grades, cultivars, and processing methods.Strong understanding of tea cultivation, harvesting, withering, rolling, oxidation, firing, drying, fermentation, aging, and blending.Comprehensive knowledge of major tea-producing regions and their distinctive characteristics.Highly developed sensory perception and professional tasting skills.Ability to identify and communicate subtle differences in aroma, flavor, body, texture, sweetness, bitterness, astringency, acidity, and finish.Experience conducting structured sensory panels and professional tasting sessions.Strong analytical and quality-assessment abilities.Ability to provide objective, accurate, and commercially relevant recommendations.Strong understanding of specialty and luxury tea markets.Experience evaluating premium products for sourcing or purchasing purposes is preferred.Strong supplier-management and communication skills.Excellent presentation and public-speaking abilities.Ability to conduct professional workshops, tastings, and customer education sessions.Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities.Ability to train junior employees and develop tea-related knowledge within a team.Excellent organizational and project-management skills.Ability to manage multiple samples, suppliers, evaluations, and product-development projects.Strong attention to detail and documentation accuracy.Good computer skills and familiarity with Microsoft Office, inventory systems, product databases, or quality-management platforms.Strong commercial awareness and understanding of premium customer expectations.Professional, polished, and customer-focused approach.Ability to work effectively with suppliers, buyers, chefs, beverage managers, hospitality professionals, and senior management.Willingness to travel for tea sourcing, supplier visits, exhibitions, competitions, and industry events when required.Fluency in English is preferred; Arabic or other languages are an advantage.Knowledge of the UAE and Middle East specialty tea market is beneficial.Relevant professional tea certification is strongly preferred.What We OfferCompetitive salary based on experience and qualifications.Senior specialist position within a premium tea and beverage environment.Opportunity to work with high-quality and specialty teas from international origins.Exposure to tea estates, producers, merchants, importers, and specialist suppliers.Opportunities to participate in professional tasting panels and tea-industry events.Involvement in premium tea sourcing, quality evaluation, product development, and collection curation.Opportunities to develop advanced expertise in sensory evaluation and tea quality management.Professional training and continuous learning opportunities.Opportunities to conduct private tastings, educational workshops, and premium customer experiences.Collaboration with chefs, beverage professionals, buyers, product developers, and luxury hospitality teams.Career development opportunities within specialty tea, premium beverages, hospitality, and luxury retail.Employment benefits in accordance with UAE labour regulations.