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Tea retailer

Jim Audiomisc said:
we now have lots which will last us for many months. Although if a specific tea stands out I may buy more to keep in stock. I also have a lot of unopened 'taster' sized pouches from NBT.
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TheDecameron said:
I opened a tin of tea I bought in Harrods 28 years ago and drank it a couple of months ago. It was absolutely fine.
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I suspect that tea, kept dry and cool, has quite a shelf-life - way beyond what my consumption rate would mean that it remains to be used.

As TE folded, they had commercial orders cancelled as cafes, restaurants closed during lockdown. They offered a Darjeeling second flush from a large cancelled order (I am no huge fan of first), at crazy cheap prices - it is one of three that get brewed most often, but it will last at least 2 years in total.

I must get back into the habit of having a green tea on the go all day...... I used to take them into work as they require no milk so were very convenient. I have been working from home for at least 4 days each week since the first lockdown.
 
Vinny said:
I suspect that tea, kept dry and cool, has quite a shelf-life - way beyond what my consumption rate would mean that it remains to be used.
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My experience chimes OK with that! I'm still happy using some pouches which I got a couple of years ago. And it also seems to keep OK if kept in a closed container.

FWIW a c100gm moisture-proof pouch/container lasts us over a month. We mostly just choose and use one tea at a time. But do sometimes experiment with comparing different small 'taster sized' examples in parallel. Given good teas they all taste fine to us, even if different.

Now I have Greys + Rosevear + NBT examples I'll just cycle between them, pouch by pouch, and enjoy. :)
 
Earl Grey loses its bergamot flavour very quickly even if left unopened, as does flavoured Pekoe
 
Vinny said:
I must get back into the habit of having a green tea on the go all day...... I used to take them into work as they require no milk so were very convenient. I have been working from home for at least 4 days each week since the first lockdown.
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FWIW I ceased using milk when I ceased using 'supermarket'/mass-brand teas! No longer any need to cover the rough taste with milk!
 
gintonic said:
Earl Grey loses its bergamot flavour very quickly even if left unopened, as does flavoured Pekoe
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Not in a laminated bag that includes an aluminium layer. It will fade, but only very, very slowly if it is closed carefully, ideally with a klippit.

Jim Audiomisc said:
FWIW I ceased using milk when I ceased using 'supermarket'/mass-brand teas! No longer any need to cover the rough taste with milk!
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I am somewhat of a heathen with regards tea - I like just a splash of full-fat milk (I actually only buy gold top as fresh milk) with any black tea, and also gunpowder. The fat modifies everything in terms of flavour, to my personal taste.
As a nipper, I drank tea black,with sugar, but not much, I do not recall when or why I changed to having milk. Not using sugar was around 40 years ago, when I discovered that both tea and coffee tasted far better without (Colchester - Pizza Kitchen, not very far from Jumbo). I am sure that I'd find the same perfectly OK now, but prefer the effect of a dash of fat!! :)

How anyone drinks coffee with fake milk, I shall never know - "oat milk" in coffee = coffee-flavoured porridge........

As for flavoured teas, apart from Earl/Lady Grey - they are a bit like cheeses with added crap (such as chilli, berries, etc. etc.) - I'll pass, thanks.
 
Yes tea can make kopi Luwak, Jamaican blue mountain and finest Colombian geisha coffees look cheap. I remember when a mate was married and used to visit his wife’s family in Singapore. He would return and makes a tea from some delicate few grams of leaf in a foil pack telling me it worked out at £ hundreds per kilo and how they have tea wheels as much as 80 years old.
 
Nero said:
Interesting, thanks. On the other hand, I've just

quaffed a lovely cuppa Darj BOP. My favourite.
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In my experience Algerian Coffee Stores customers are not served from large demo jars. They are sold prepacked units.
I have not ever received stale goods. That said, I have only been their customer for more than 52 years.

Exotic Darjeelings do not appear in online menu of Algerian Coffee Stores. You have to search. They are there, in stock.
Why pay fancy West end prices for exotic Darjeelings (and Assam)?

If I had drunk as much tea as some apparently do, I would have died a slow death from caffeine poisoning or other health consequences decades ago.
Some university graduates should heed this warning.
 
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On the subject of tea, does anyone in the UK make Queen Mary? This was my favourite, apparently sold only in Twinings's wee shop in The Strand (some provision of the Royal Warrant). Then, for reasons never explained, it vanished from the range, and, despite howls of protest from its many fans, never came back.
 
gintonic said:
https://www.seibiantcoffi.co.uk/?product=queen-marys-darjeeling
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Interesting, thank you. The famous light blue tin says only "fine Darjeeling character with muscatel flavour". It's clearly not a first flush Darj, as it lacks that characteristic pale golden colour. Apparently a blend of Darj and Keemun. Must try that. Again, thanks.

Reminds me of an old colleague who was, I believe the technical term is "poser" - had to have the right brand of clothes and shoes, had to have the right books on the coffee table, etc. Whether this was to compensate for a very working class upbringing I know not, but he was very honest about it ("I'm sort of shallow like that"). He's even going to Ascot in topper and tails in a few weeks' time. But his working class origins betrayed him when it came to tea. He naturally had to have the "right" tea, so he bought a first flush Darj - and was so mortified by this pale golden thing that he promptly stuck a tea bag in it!
 
tuga said:
£380/kg for a first flush! :eek:
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I don't think any I chose cost that much! However since I only use about a gm or so per cup it would be a bit cheaper seen by cup. Add in for many teas the option for a second or third infusion as well.

So perhaps best not to buy a kg of any specific tea that is expensive! :)
 
tuga said:
£380/kg for a first flush! :eek:
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Typical price for a rare, top grade, first flush. Take this one from my local (Swiss) tea shop:

https://london-tea.ch/en/products/t...ium-ftgfop-1-n-80?_pos=4&_sid=d6ab74e9a&_ss=r

The price per Kg works out at £409. But this seems to be analogous to rare single malts. First flushes can be had for much less, for example, this one, one of my regular purchases:

https://london-tea.ch/en/products/darjeeling-orange-pekoe-tea-nr-11?_pos=1&_sid=d6ab74e9a&_ss=r

costs as little(!) as £73 per kilo.
 
tones said:
Typical price for a rare, top grade, first flush. Take this one from my local (Swiss) tea shop:

https://london-tea.ch/en/products/t...ium-ftgfop-1-n-80?_pos=4&_sid=d6ab74e9a&_ss=r

The price per Kg works out at £409. But this seems to be analogous to rare single malts. First flushes can be had for much less, for example, this one, one of my regular purchases:

https://london-tea.ch/en/products/darjeeling-orange-pekoe-tea-nr-11?_pos=1&_sid=d6ab74e9a&_ss=r

costs as little(!) as £73 per kilo.
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How much are the accompanying biscuits?
 
tones said:
Typical price for a rare, top grade, first flush. Take this one from my local (Swiss) tea shop:

https://london-tea.ch/en/products/t...ium-ftgfop-1-n-80?_pos=4&_sid=d6ab74e9a&_ss=r

The price per Kg works out at £409. But this seems to be analogous to rare single malts. First flushes can be had for much less, for example, this one, one of my regular purchases:

https://london-tea.ch/en/products/darjeeling-orange-pekoe-tea-nr-11?_pos=1&_sid=d6ab74e9a&_ss=r

costs as little(!) as £73 per kilo.
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I buy this one for everyday at £30/kg:

Taylors of Harrogate Loose Leaf Tea 1kg (Afternoon Darjeeling)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07QTK3W9D/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
Nero said:
We are pretty much sold on Fortnum & Mason - their Darjeeling BOP and Smoky Earl Grey are staples in this house. They have a lovely seasonal Autumn Blend, and we occasionally treat ourselves to Gunpowder. We normally stock up on London visits, but they sell online. If you are patient, they sometimes have free shipping.
Don’t waste money on the tins (unless you want a tin) - just buy the loose leaf pouches
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I’m with @Nero . F&M tea is my favourite too - good old fashioned English Breakfast out of a bone china cup. First cup every morning…
 
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