I have my own opinion about the difference and would request other tea
lovers to share the idea.

No offence with big tea companies, but I have repented in the past for
buying teas in caddies etc. One day it so happened that the loose tea
which my friend sent was of the same grade as that of the caddy that I
had bought (I won't mention the garden name or the tea caddy company) -
yes it was from the same garden and grade too was the same, but guess
what, the loose tea which my friend had sent was fresh and of superior
quality. It was "the tea" for me and I had to temporarily push the
caddy aside. I don't know what had actually gone into the caddy and for
how long had it been there.

Well there always requires an excuse for doubt and you start doubting
your whole life unless convinced - thats what happened to me.

A website vendor is getting his tea delivered by the same commercial
packaging you see on the shelves. I'll rank my choice of desired
packaging:

1. Nitrogen packs
2. Tins with aluminum seals
3. Paper with aluminum foil
4. Paper with cellophane
5. You won't see ziploc bags from a web vendor

A rupture is a rupture no matter the product. I think the big drawback
to vendors on the web is unknown storage. You can tell us the
commercial product that doesn't match your friend's estate and grade.
Commercial products are generally blends for a consistent specific
taste at a given price point. Estate teas are geographical and
seasonal with variation in taste and price. If I order popular estate
teas like Margaret's Hope from India, Lover's Leap from Ceylon, or
Milima from Kenya there's no guarantee they'll taste the same from
different vendors. You should be able to A/B the same estate tea from
the same vendor just like any commercial brand. I touched a couple of
bases here because I wasn't sure of your point. Don't doubt your
existence because you find something of the same you like better than
before.

Jim

STJones wrote:
> I have my own opinion about the difference and would request other tea
> lovers to share the idea.
>
> No offence with big tea companies, but I have repented in the past for
> buying teas in caddies etc. One day it so happened that the loose tea
> which my friend sent was of the same grade as that of the caddy that I
> had bought (I won't mention the garden name or the tea caddy company) -
> yes it was from the same garden and grade too was the same, but guess
> what, the loose tea which my friend had sent was fresh and of superior
> quality. It was "the tea" for me and I had to temporarily push the
> caddy aside. I don't know what had actually gone into the caddy and for
> how long had it been there.
>
> Well there always requires an excuse for doubt and you start doubting
> your whole life unless convinced - thats what happened to me.

STJones wrote:
> I have my own opinion about the difference and would request other tea
> lovers to share the idea...

It really isn't "snobbish" or whatnot to realize that there are major
differences, and most of the time the storebought teabags and teas end
up being much more expensive by weight when you figure it out. I was
just explaining this morning to a co-worker that the $89.99/lb. Kukicha
tea I was drinking was almost exactly the same price as the teabag she
was drinking.

I almost exclusively drink loose, fresh, tea and it doesn't cost me a
penny more than if I was not, in some cases it is cheaper. The quality
is much higher, I know what I am ingesting, and I can appreciate that.
Once you figure it out, it is like a revelation... it appears your
lightbulb just went on for good

- Dominic
Drinking: Sencha Green Tea

But what I thought was since the grade and the estate name was
particular, the tea should have been marked "blended" eg.
Darjeeling+Assam or First Flush+Autumnals, if it was blended - The pack
had the same garden and grade name - what was dissatisfying to me was
that it should have been a bit similar, but was completely different -
and yes the flush was also the same

Fellow tea lovers, thanks for the updates, I am getting enlightened.
Some more inputs could enlighten not only me BUT ALL. Thanks.

Space 2/3/06


> A website vendor is getting his tea delivered by the same commercial
> packaging you see on the shelves. I'll rank my choice of desired
> packaging:
>
> 1. Nitrogen packs
> 2. Tins with aluminum seals
> 3. Paper with aluminum foil
> 4. Paper with cellophane
> 5. You won't see ziploc bags from a web vendor

Jim,

This is as good a preference list as any, but one
small correction: I have gotten teas in ziploc bags
from web vendors includiing M&J. I think it's
generally bad policy, but every vendor makes his
own decision. Ziploc bags are rare, but not
non-existent.

Michael

One shelving package I left out was apothecary style pyrex jars with
triple plastic seals. I'd insert it as #2. One Arabic store has the
nasty habit of taking tea from ruptured and past due tea boxes and
putting them in ziplocs. I do get loose tea from Yunnan in plastic and
cellophane which is probably not the best for 30 day SAL transit.

Jim

Michael Plant wrote:
> Space 2/3/06
>
>
> > A website vendor is getting his tea delivered by the same commercial
> > packaging you see on the shelves. I'll rank my choice of desired
> > packaging:
> >
> > 1. Nitrogen packs
> > 2. Tins with aluminum seals
> > 3. Paper with aluminum foil
> > 4. Paper with cellophane
> > 5. You won't see ziploc bags from a web vendor
>
> Jim,
>
> This is as good a preference list as any, but one
> small correction: I have gotten teas in ziploc bags
> from web vendors includiing M&J. I think it's
> generally bad policy, but every vendor makes his
> own decision. Ziploc bags are rare, but not
> non-existent.
>
> Michael