Well, this isn't very helpful in terms of whys and wherefores and tautologies, but FWIW I do the same thing - it's not a peculiarity limited to the Tatham clan :)

Of course, it occurs to me, the fact that I do it rules out the possibility that it's about the smell of the drink :-)

Ooh, that's a good point, I suppose.

I mean, I do enjoy the smell of tea, and will make myself a choptliver-pint-mug-o'-tea for comfort/inspiration/moral support, when necessary, and will feel much better for the warmth and the smell and then end up not drinking all of it, but given that you are (obviously) completely unbothered by the smell: I posit that it's a Cultural Thing, old chap, and we're brought up with parents and family and family friends saying "ooh, let's have a cup of tea before dealing with that" or similar, so it becomes ingrained response to the point that people don't realise that they don't need the tea to make their brain work?

Thing. Sorry. Babbling. Excuse me while I rush off to a lesson...

:)