What is your favorite Japanese green tea dealer?
 

I really like o-cha.com (which is much better than Allegro, IMHO), but
I'm looking for other sources to try something different, particularly
Gyokuros. I've been watching Hibiki-an for a while, but the many grades
and high prices (for a single-estate production) look somewhat
suspicious, and I fear that the quality will not be so high as
expected.

Anybody got experiences to share?

What is your favorite Japanese green tea dealer?
 

wrote:
> I really like o-cha.com (which is much better than Allegro, IMHO), but
> I'm looking for other sources to try something different, particularly
> Gyokuros. I've been watching Hibiki-an for a while, but the many grades
> and high prices (for a single-estate production) look somewhat
> suspicious, and I fear that the quality will not be so high as
> expected.
>
> Anybody got experiences to share?

I find that it is impossible to really get high-end green tea unless
you have a direct connection. It is a crap shoot ordering online, and
quality varies wildly. It has a shorter shelf-life and getting really
fresh quality green tea is tough online. I have no doubts that Mike's
suggestion is a good one, and I plan on checking into it myself, but I
have basically resigned to buying medium quality Sencha/Gyokuro/Lung
Ching/Matcha/etc. online and in most tea shops and am then pleasantly
surprised if I get higher quality stuff by chance. But certain
circumstances sometimes present themselves and by luck you get a chance
at some really top-shelf stuff, and I try to capitalize on those
whenever I can. You really need a close friend or a close relationship
with a seller to get great green tea and not get ripped in the process.

I actually find that in the end, most medium quality greens are
sufficient... but man is it nice to get a crack at some really good
stuff every now and then. At this time of year, it is tough to find
much more than mid-grade green tea, or what was high-grade stuff that
is a touch past its peak.

- Dominic

What is your favorite Japanese green tea dealer?
 

> I find that it is impossible to really get high-end green tea unless you
> have a direct connection. It is a crap shoot ordering online, and quality
> varies wildly. It has a shorter shelf-life and getting really fresh
> quality green tea is tough online....You really need a close friend or a close relationship with a seller to get great green tea and not get ripped in the process.

I completely agree with you, Dominic. Lately, I've
gotten my greens from a local NYC shop where I get
to taste the tea before I buy and can attest to
freshness and quality. I buy less and less on line.
It is indeed a crap shoot.

> I actually find that in the end, most medium quality greens are
> sufficient... but man is it nice to get a crack at some really good stuff
> every now and then. At this time of year, it is tough to find much more
> than mid-grade green tea, or what was high-grade stuff that is a touch
> past its peak.

Again, true enough. They don't like sitting around
waiting for you, do they? Having said that, I also
find "medium quality" greens pleasant, and they are
readily available. Take for example, Hou Kui. (Did I
get that right?) Nicely made, the leaves are *very*
big, in good condition, and quite tastey. But more
normally, they are broken up, which is a shame
consideringhow lovely they can be swimming in
a glass.

Michael

What is your favorite Japanese green tea dealer?
 

> wrote in message
ps.com...
>I really like o-cha.com (which is much better than Allegro, IMHO), but
> I'm looking for other sources to try something different, particularly
> Gyokuros. I've been watching Hibiki-an for a while, but the many grades
> and high prices (for a single-estate production) look somewhat
> suspicious, and I fear that the quality will not be so high as
> expected.
>
> Anybody got experiences to share?
>

I really like Japanese greens, but I wouldn't say I've had a ton of
experience with the best of the best. However, I find the teas from Den's
Tea www.denstea.com to be much better than what I can find locally at the
Japanese market or what I have gotten from Special Teas or Upton.

Blues