Provided is an ingredient of a tea drink whereby it is possible to manufacture a tea drink that has a novel scent and taste and that is free of an unpleasant flavor associated with a heating treatment. The ingredient for a tea drink is manufactured by a method comprising the steps of impregnating the ingredient for a tea drink into an amino-acid-solution-containing solution that contains one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of leucine, valine, and isoleucine, and heating the tea leaves at a temperature of 100 to 200°C.