When heated, the water quickly extracts a wide range of aromas. The tea is more expressive, more complete, with both depth, vibrancy and sometimes a slight astringency depending on the temperature chosen.
Cold extraction is much slower and more selective. Certain compounds, particularly those responsible for bitterness, are extracted very little. The result is often smoother, rounder, with a very distinct freshness. There are fewer aromas, but they appear with greater clarity, almost as if they were isolated.
The intensity depends mainly on the amount of leaves used and the steeping time. A cold infusion can be very light or, conversely, surprisingly concentrated, depending on how it is prepared.