Mydnight wrote:
> I agree totally about using your experience as the guide, but then, how
> do you know that you haven't been rooked for 30 years? I recently
> talked with a friend about some of his "excellent" tea, but after
> trying, I had to tell him that he was cheated.

The answer is that "you don't know". Unless you have the experience
to know mediocre from great you will never know if you have been
cheated or not. Unfortunately it is a lesson that is often learned the
hard way if ever learned at all. Until you have actually had
"great" tea you have no idea what it really is. Those who are
fortunate enough to have someone knowledgeable guiding them will be
exposed to great tea, others have to learn the hard way.

Since this business is so full of opportunistic middlemen and
merchants, and there is so much mysticism surrounding Eastern tea, and
there is such a lack of any real international standards, it all but
makes it impossible for a layman to do much better.

It is my understanding that there is work underway between some high
level Chinese and American businessmen to come up with some true
standards. Somehow I doubt that it will mount to much though as even
native Chinese customers get taken in the Chinese markets, why should
we think exports would be any better.

Mike
http://www.pu-erh.net