On Mar 20, 9:27*pm, Omkar > wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Before I start, I'd like to say that I'm new to this community, so I
> apologize if I breach any rules of etiquette here. I've been searching
> for this information using Google Groups and it looks like people can
> get touchy when discussion turns commercial. I'm only looking for
> information. Also, this post may be a little long winded, but I'm not
> sure what information is or isn't important, so I'm erring on the side
> of inclusion. Thanks for your patience with a tea novice.
>
> I started drinking good tea a couple of years ago, and late last June,
> started ordering from Upton. In particular, I ordered a Risheehat
> First Flush that I liked very much. The aroma was very strong at this
> point, and probably for the next month or two. I stored the tea in
> Upton's tin, put in a cool dark place. By October, however, the aroma
> of the tea became less pronounced, and the flavor less complex.
>
> Now, in early February, I ordered a bunch of first and second flush
> samples from Upton. I'm pretty happy with some of the second flushes,
> but the first flushes seem to have lost potency just as my Risheehat
> did. I thought this might be the quality of the tea; luckily, I'd
> ordered the Risheehat again as a check. Sure enough, it tasted and
> smelled like it did after a few months with me last time. I'm not sure
> what to make of this, since the tea itself is around a year old at
> this point.
>
> So here are my questions:
>
> 1. Is this shelf life the best I can expect, or is there something I
> can do to improve my storage? A few months seems a bit short to me.
> 2. Is this level of freshness what I can expect from all vendors, or
> does Upton have a freshness issue?
>
> I really loved the tea when it was fresh (or at least fresher), so I
> was thinking of buying all my Darjeeling tea this year direct from
> India.
>
> 3. Would this get me fresher and/or better tea than careful selection
> from Upton or another (please recommend) US vendor?
> 4. If so, can anyone recommend and talk about their experience with a
> particular site or distributor? I've seen Thunderbolt Tea, Tea
> Emporium, and Lochan's sites. All of them look nice enough, but I'd
> like to get some consumer opinions. I do know that their proprietors
> (as well as Upton's) occasionally show up here; their input is very
> welcome even if I'll take it with a grain of salt.
>
> I'd also be interested in similar information for Assams or Nilgiris
> if anyone has it. I have family in Bangalore so if anyone knows a good
> Nilgiri, even if it's only sold locally, I'd appreciate the tip.
>
> Thanks so much for your help!
>
> Omkar

About six months ago, I gave my personal 5 stars to two Nilgiris from
Upton-TN68 and TN96. The Assams and Ceylons I liked are now sold
out. I keep my teas in their original envelope, then sealed with a
clip, then put in a small metal cannister. That seems to work for
me. Toci