Where do you buy your tea?

KeskusteluTea!

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Where do you buy your tea?

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1k00kaburra
joulukuu 30, 2007, 5:39 pm

Sorry if there's already a thread for this, but my quick-scan of the messages didn't find one. Do we have a centralized list of resources for buying tea?

Here are some of the shops I visit frequently:
Lupicia Fresh Tea
Teavana

As well as some on-line resources I'm fond of:
Adagio Teas
Scent by Spirit Teas

2bookbesotted
joulukuu 31, 2007, 11:21 am

One of my favorite sources is Upton’s; I have purchased from them online; however, I enjoy calling their 800 number and talking with the representative. They are always friendly and knowledgeable without being snobbish.

3PensiveCat
joulukuu 31, 2007, 1:21 pm

The appropriate question for me, I guess, would be where DON'T I buy my tea? Between all the tea and gourmet shops in Manhattan to the amazing online sources, it's almost too much - and such a difference from my efforts in the early nineties to find a good loose tea. I have yet to use Upton's, though, which is a shame. I do get the catalogs.

Oh, and now there's a tearoom in my very own Astoria, Queens, that sells quality tea at reasonable prices (I sound like a commercial): the Himalaya Tea House. I hope it stays here for a long time.

4Eurydice
joulukuu 31, 2007, 1:48 pm

Upton's and Harney & Sons, mostly; sometimes stopping in a Houston-area imports shop, British Isles, for better British brands (though now they carry a large array of Harney teas); and, between a gift and a small purchase, I certainly would, or will, buy again from Chicago's Argo Tea.

http://www.uptontea.com
http://www.harney.com
http://www.britishislesonline.com/
http://www.argotea.com

Rarely, I'll buy a respectable British tea - Taylors of Harrogate, maybe - in a pinch, at a grocery.

5arabella84 Ensimmäinen viesti
joulukuu 31, 2007, 1:59 pm

If you're in the Chicago area (or willing to purchase online) I recommend TeaGschwendner. They have a huge selection of loose leaf teas. I personally love the Diplomat's Tea.

http://www.teagschwendner.com/

6lilithcat
joulukuu 31, 2007, 2:26 pm

> 5

I am in Chicago, but was not familiar with this shop. Their prices seem quite high. Are they really worth it?

7gmathis
tammikuu 4, 2008, 1:27 pm

Culinary Teas is one of my favorites...their 1 oz. samples are an inexpensive way to experiment:

www.culinaryteas.com

8grizzly.anderson
tammikuu 4, 2008, 7:56 pm

Some years ago a friend that moved to Denver from the east coast recommended Plymouth Tea to me, when I lamented that I couldn't find any good loose tea locally. Since then a couple good places here have come and gone, but I've always had good service buying online from Plymouth.

http://www.Plymouthtea.com

9skarpin Ensimmäinen viesti
tammikuu 4, 2008, 10:20 pm

I have started buying my tea online from a great site in Australia, because that is where I am from so postage is reasonable and they have fabulous teas. YUM!!! Check it out!

www.tealeaves.com.au

10diffuse
tammikuu 8, 2008, 11:55 am

I like Adagio, already mentioned, & Tealuxe. Look forward to trying Upton's sometime.

I don't like Scent by Spirit teas, in part because I think they use far too much packaging. For a sample of tea: tea in small ziploc pouch, inside a foil package, then clipped shut w/an individual metal clip. Holy wasteful Batman! Not to mention a pain in the ass. I love that Adagio uses the small metal tins, which are easy to reuse or recycle. I complained to SBS about their packaging & they said, "This is what our customers want." Ew.

11Marensr
tammikuu 8, 2008, 2:24 pm

5 and 6 I received some lovely teas and tisanes from TeaGeschwender for Christmas.

It is excellent tea but I think their tisanes might be even better with whole dried berries and rosehips in them you can see why the price is high. The are also specific about weather a tea is first flush or second etc.

It might not be your every day cuppa but the shop is certainly worth a visit just to ogle the bins of tea.

12k00kaburra
tammikuu 8, 2008, 5:03 pm

#10
I'm not crazy about the Scent by Spirit packaging either, and as I've tried more of their teas I'm not too impressed. But I love their hot chocolate!

13alcottacre
tammikuu 10, 2008, 4:39 am

I have used Adagio Teas as others have mentioned, and I love the fact that you can get samples in 2-oz tins! My youngest daughter and I love experimenting and finding our favorites this way.

14jawallac27
tammikuu 12, 2008, 4:21 pm

I've got to shout about the teas I've had from Intutea.com. I purchased three different teas about a year ago. If you are an Earl Grey lover, DO NOT MISS the Cream Earl Grey - simply the best Earl I've had. The "Angel's Breath" and "Pure" herbal mixes were also excellent; the owner even told me that a dream led her to create the Angel series of teas. Excellent tea!

15tangerinealert
tammikuu 16, 2008, 12:43 am

While there are places I could go to buy 'speciality tea', I mostly just get it from the supermarket, but they always put it quite away from the other bigger brands.
http://www.neradatea.com.au/ - Nerada Tea is Australian (their main normal brand at least) which I find is much more tea like than other "normal" teas.

16Allama
tammikuu 17, 2008, 2:32 pm

I sadly admit to purchasing my tea at the supermarket like a schmoe. Celestial Seasonings is usually a cheap but not disgusting brand, so it's what you'll usually find on my shelf as far as herbals are concerned. Stash teas are nice, too, when they're on sale.

Some day I plan to win the lottery and start buying nice tea: looseleaf in a tin, like I've always dreamed. One ought to start playing the ol' lotto to make that possible, I suppose.

17TheTwoDs
tammikuu 17, 2008, 5:03 pm

Lately, my wife and I are hooked on

http://www.taytea.com

18Sparrowing
tammikuu 20, 2008, 9:10 pm

I also like Adagio for loose leaf. I buy some bagged Yogi herbals when they go on sale and mix my own herbals and chai.

19jawallac27
tammikuu 22, 2008, 5:56 pm

Has anyone tried www.teaposy.com?

20codyed
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 30, 2008, 9:41 pm

I purchase my tea from a small family owned operation called Summit Spice & Tea Company here in Anchorage, Alaska. It also happens to be the place a family member bought my prized cast iron tea pot as a gift.

21evedeve
helmikuu 4, 2008, 1:57 pm

I get mine mostly from the World Tea Company here in Toledo. http://worldteacompany.com/teastore.html

22jawallac27
maaliskuu 1, 2008, 1:36 pm

I will second the earlier recommendation for Teavana. It was my first time in the store, so I spent some time reading their brochure about the different types of tea, then went with:

Herbal Teas: Peach Tranquility, Turkish Apple, Vermont Maple
Flavored Black Tea: Earl Grey Creme
White Tea: Silver Needle

The guy in the store also had me sample a blend that he'd created: Silver Needle, Peach Tranquility and a little sugar. Delicious! I am going to try to recreate it at home.

23twogerbils
maaliskuu 6, 2008, 11:18 am

I recently relocated to Cleveland, OH and was delighted to find that a Teavana shop had opened just a few months ago. Way to go north east OH!

So, I'm on board with the earlier posts on the shop.

I like their unique blends, and am always tempted to purchase a teapot, but haven't yet.

24Wosret
heinäkuu 9, 2008, 1:49 pm

I buy most of my loose-leaf from The Tea Emporium.

25lilysea
Muokkaaja: heinäkuu 10, 2008, 8:32 pm

Embarassing but true: I buy online here. And pay through the nose in currency conversion and shipping for relatively cheap tea!

26syrion
heinäkuu 10, 2008, 8:41 pm

Allama, loose-leaf tea is actually cheaper per-cup than tea bags. I use Upton's. As an example, they have Ceylonese BOP (broken orange pekoe) for $10.92 in a 250g tin. Compare that to a box of bagged tea with 40g total for about half the price.

Of course, if you order the "finest" teas--white teas, pu-erh, first-flush Darjeeling--you'll end up paying a lot more, but frankly I've found that a pleasant blend (Russian Caravan!) and a few different varieties of black tea are enough to satisfy me.

27Eurydice
heinäkuu 13, 2008, 2:41 am

Wosret, The Tea Emporium is appealing. There are several there I'd like to try. (If not now, later?) :)

28Wosret
heinäkuu 14, 2008, 4:45 pm

Erudyce, I'd be willing to test them out for you before you try them. It'll be such a hardship. ;)

29Eurydice
heinäkuu 14, 2008, 6:31 pm

I can't imagine making you suffer that way. ;)

But if you were willing.... or interested, these caught my eye: Orchid Oolong, Formosa Silver Moon, Blend 103, Cream of Avalon, Chocolate Chai (cough, squirm), Provence Rooibos, Citrus Sunburst, Pineapple Orange fruit blend, or one of their exquisite-sounding tea-infused fruit jams.

As you can see, all are among the more distinctively personal blends, as it's less worthwhile to try their version of something I can get readily from the U.S. :) (Partly as I've got access to a massive range of single-estate and unflavored teas.) The estate teas and some blends I can readily duplicate, but these, less so.

Any sacrifice is appreciated. ;)

30chezhedmom
heinäkuu 21, 2008, 1:11 pm

I didn't know this group existed! Nice to see other tea lovers out there!! I am definitely going to have to try some of the different shops listed here. I mostly buy my teas from the supermarket, health food stores and Trader Joes.. However, I only buy my Jasmine from a local asian food market. They import it directly from Hong Kong. Definitely yummy!!!

31PensiveCat
heinäkuu 21, 2008, 1:39 pm

Lilysea, that website was fun...very Anglophile-friendly!

Welcome chezhedmom!

32mstrong
joulukuu 9, 2008, 2:15 am

Try www.Cupteavity.com
Excellent loose teas!

33tiegster
joulukuu 9, 2008, 12:41 pm

I will have to look into this cupteavity thing. I buy from Harney and Twinings pretty often. I just emailed Harney and heard back right away from a very nice lady who corrected my order in a timely fashion. So...if not for the tea...then I like them for their friendly, helpful staff and not waiting on the phone on hold for forever.

34mixedchik1
joulukuu 15, 2008, 11:55 pm

www.cupoftea.uk.com is one of the only online sites I can find that sells "morgentau green tea" it's ridiculously expensive, but addictive :)

35Taleri
tammikuu 1, 2009, 6:22 pm

I usually go to import stores, though when I can afford it, I want to stop in here http://www.sevencups.com/

36JackFrost
tammikuu 3, 2009, 10:05 am

Seven Cups has (or had, it hasn't been updated in a while) a nice video series about tea and tea-related events both on their website and available through iTunes. The website has all of the videos, while iTunes only has a small selection.

37helena2109
tammikuu 3, 2009, 6:33 pm

Thanks for that. I'm also in Oz and have been going to T2 (the original Brunswick Street shop - it's still there!). I love their tea, but it's always good to try something new.

38fromthecomfychair
maaliskuu 15, 2009, 12:22 pm

I order my loose leaf tea from www.specialteas.com located in Connecticut. Very fast delivery, fresh tea, and try their Earl Grey de la Creme.

39kongtian
maaliskuu 17, 2009, 5:45 pm

A lot of these posts are about cuppas. For Asian teas, check out:

http://www.holymtn.com/catalog/

a great selection of Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, etc. teas plus lots of tea implements, pots, gaiwans, tetsubin, and other Asian related items. And they're really nice.

Also, http://www.imperialtea.com/

Fairly high-end. They offer tea-trips to China as well. And there's always the venerable http://www.tenren.com/.

40staffordcastle
maaliskuu 17, 2009, 5:59 pm

I get a lot of my tea from TenRen; they have a shop in my local area, so it's easy.

41Rowntree
maaliskuu 20, 2009, 4:41 pm

I've been getting mine from import shops, or the local organic grocery, but I think for my birthday in a few months I will order a nice supply from Murchie's in Vancouver. I've sampled several of theirs (my parents used to get them) and liked everything that I tried.

See:http://www.murchies.com/

42pollysmith
maaliskuu 21, 2009, 6:17 pm

walmart (Blush!)
hey I just started really liking tea so I'm starting with what I know!

43EM_Egan
maaliskuu 21, 2009, 7:56 pm

Hullo all!
I still get most of my tea from shops but I had excellent service from the Zhena's Gypsy Tea online store. Whole Foods no longer stocked their Red Lavender variety and I couldn't do without. Ten Ren is wonderful for their Green and Chai teas and their Chrysanthemum is my fav summer tea. I can still pick up my Taylors of Harrogate Scottish Breakfast Tea at Whole Foods but am considering buying it in bulk online :)

Oh, would anyone know where to find quality culinary lavender?? I love lavender but it's just about the only thing that helps my allergies.
Thanks!!

http://www.gypsytea.com/Red-Lavender-Embossed-Tin-P59.aspx
http://www.unclelee.com/product_info.php?products_id=376
http://www.tenren.com/chteaba.html
http://www.amazon.com/Taylors-Harrogate-Scottish-Breakfast-50-Count/dp/B000F3WSB...

44staffordcastle
maaliskuu 22, 2009, 1:47 pm

Hi, EM_Egan

The San Francisco Herb Company stocks lavender recommended for culinary use:
http://www.sfherb.com/

Their Lavender Ultra description says:
"Our Lavender Ultra is a rich, purple color and is suitable for fine culinary & craft uses. It is English lavender grown in France."

45lahochstetler
maaliskuu 23, 2009, 3:23 am

Rowntree- thanks for that link! I'll definitely be paying a visit the next time I head to Vancouver.

46EM_Egan
maaliskuu 24, 2009, 3:13 am

Thanks so much for the link! I think it is precisely what I was looking for.

EM

47ashmolean1
maaliskuu 26, 2009, 1:14 pm

Englishteastore.com
Ross and TJ Maxx have some good British tea as do Asian shops or import shops. Good brands include Taylors of Harrogate; Yorkshire Tea; Typhoo; PG Tips. I like black tea best. Of course grocery stores these days in the USA stock Twinings tea too which is a good brand.

48soniaandree
maaliskuu 26, 2009, 1:36 pm

The Yorkshire Tea for hard water is great, I found.

49gmathis
maaliskuu 26, 2009, 2:04 pm

42: Don't blush about Wal-Mart shopping! (We live there...) Especially while you're learning what you like and don't like. Once you have that figured out, then you can splurge on better brands of the flavors you consider a special treat.

Not sure how consistent their supply is, but our Wally World carries a nice variety of Celestial Seasonings and a few kinds of Tazo.

50Leuntje
maaliskuu 26, 2009, 2:43 pm

What luxury in this topic!
I buy my tea in the supermarket.

51jadeDRAGON9246
huhtikuu 5, 2009, 3:09 pm

Thank You for the gypsytea link.I found another mail order tea company that set my taste sense thirsty for chocolate tea.

52huffward
Muokkaaja: huhtikuu 5, 2009, 4:22 pm

I'm lucky; I have a specialist old-fashioned tea and coffee shop in my nearest town. They have a wallfull (yes a whole wallfull) of big tins, from which they weigh out the loose tea. They don't stock teabags.

53manatree
huhtikuu 12, 2009, 6:39 pm

One of the Asian markets in town sells a generic gunpowder green tea that I just can't get enough of lately. I swear it must be slightly narcotic.

54Theta9
Muokkaaja: huhtikuu 22, 2009, 12:29 am

Most recently I buy two-pound bags from coffeebeandirect.com; I most recently bought the Iced Tea Blend and the peach black tea. Longer ago I bought English Breakfast and White Peony from there; I'm intending to get the Se Chung Oolong next time I buy.

I bought a kilo of (2004) brick puehr on Ebay a couple of years ago; earlier than that I bought a couple of bricks (2003 and 2004) from the Tao of Tea, a local shop here in Portland on NE Belmont. And I like to cruise for bargains at Asian grocery stores. I got a couple of "cooked" tuochas at a local store for a couple of bucks each; I think they're about 100g in weight.

When I bought an IngenuiTea teapot and UtiliTea electric kettle from Adagio, four samples of teas came as well. The "Green Pekoe Blues" is the best green tea I've ever had; I'd like to find another source though since I consider Adagio to be costly (ditto Teavana and the Tao of Tea). I don't usually like to spend upwards of three to four dollars an ounce.

55AquariusNat
huhtikuu 22, 2009, 7:55 pm

Recently I've noticed produce markets having alot variety in their tea sections , so that's where I usually purchase mine .

56ljowery
huhtikuu 30, 2009, 12:01 pm

I recently converted from bagged tea to drinking loose leaf teas. I purchase most everything online, and finally came across an organic tea company that I really liked online called Leafspa. Here is a link to them: organic teas at LeafSpa. I bought my accessories from them as well.

57jessajune
huhtikuu 30, 2009, 6:03 pm

EM_Egan - what a tragedy about Whole Foods & the Red Lavender tea - it is one of my favorites! I will second staffordcastle's suggestion about SF Herb Company - I haven't ordered lavender from them, but the peppermint and jasmine teas I got from there were superb. Just be prepared that you're required to order in LARGE quantities!

Would it be a possibility for you to grow your own lavender? It is a pretty hardy plant that doesn't seem to require too much attention. I've got some in the garden that I haven't used for food (other than snacking on the leaves occasionally) but I certainly could - I know it's edible and organic! Maybe I should take my own advice and try it!

I'm interested to note that no one has mentioned Republic of Tea - is there something bad about them I should know, or is it just that their tea is so shockingly expensive? I am a fan of the vanilla almond and ginger peach teas from there, but save my purchase for special occasions!

58staffordcastle
huhtikuu 30, 2009, 7:21 pm

>57 jessajune:
- is there something bad about them I should know, or is it just that their tea is so shockingly expensive?

Not at all, I drink lots of their teas - have a cuppa of the Wild Berry Plum Green Tea right now!

I enjoyed reading their books, too:
The Book of Tea and Herbs
The Republic of Tea: Letters to a Young Zentrepreneur

59AquariusNat
huhtikuu 30, 2009, 7:52 pm

I enjoy Republic of Tea also ! I don't think they're really expensive , just remember their cans usually hold 50 teabags . Whereas the usual grocery brands only have 16-25 .

60CliffordDorset
toukokuu 1, 2009, 9:30 am

I can recommend a charming little shop in the old part of the city of Lincoln (UK):

http://www.imperialteas.co.uk/

The site shows the shop, which is situated in the achingly accurately named 'Steep Hill' in Lincoln, but there's a good on-line service, too.

61jabberwockiness
toukokuu 1, 2009, 2:59 pm

I know it's a big conglomerate, but I love the selection at Whole Foods.

If you're looking for some very affordable but decent quality tea, Trader Joe's isn't bad.

62Marensr
kesäkuu 22, 2009, 5:08 pm

I had to resurrect this thread because I ordered tea from an on line company I had not used before and I had a delightful experience.

http://anniesteatime.com/

I placed my order and about 2 hours later I got a call on my cell phone and it was Annie who wanted to apologize because one of the sale teas I had ordered was out of stock and she wanted to make a substitution so she did but it was a less expensive one so she threw in an extra container for free and chatted with me about how I found her and the teas I picked and asked if I wanted to get her e newsletter. It was such a surprising and pleasant experience. Oh and they show the best by dates on their website so you know the freshness of the tea which I also liked.

They also seem to have blooming teas and a whole range of pots and supplies.

63CliffordDorset
kesäkuu 23, 2009, 10:40 am

Viestin kirjoittaja on poistanut viestin.

64pollysmith
heinäkuu 1, 2009, 5:56 pm

pretty cool mar!

65ann163125
heinäkuu 19, 2009, 1:05 pm

I've just discovered All About Tea.

http://www.allabouttea.co.uk/

Not only do they give you free postage if you sign up for their regular e-mail, but they will also send you two free samples with every order. Do try their Darjeeling and Assam blend. It's the smoothest drink I've ever had.

66ms.hjelliot
heinäkuu 20, 2009, 5:56 pm

Ooh, I just placed an order with them as well! They are terrific! Finally mass quantities of ceylon bags for making iced tea!!!

67debrafry
elokuu 2, 2009, 2:51 pm

I buy Earl Gray Cream at my local tea shop (Wichita, KS) and think it is the best!

68gmathis
elokuu 2, 2009, 3:23 pm

#67, where is the tea shop you visit in Wichita? We have family there, don't get there often, but would love to put it on the next itinerary.

69jgreerw
elokuu 5, 2009, 11:05 am

If anyone else is in Philadelphia, I really like Steep on 18th st near Rittenhouse Square. Great selection and Peg, the owner, is very nice and usually gives regulars free samples of great teas they could never afford.

70pollysmith
marraskuu 8, 2009, 6:33 pm

I visited Teavana today. I walked out empty-handed and in price shock! I guess i willstick to krogers and Walmart for my tea selections!

71AgathaChristie
Muokkaaja: marraskuu 8, 2009, 10:29 pm

Expensive but magnificent. Le Palais Gourmet in Beverly Hills. http://www.lepalaisgourmet.com/

Also, Todd and Holland Tea Merchants in Forest Park, IL: http://www.todd-holland.com

72IWantToBelieve
marraskuu 15, 2009, 1:38 pm

Teavana is nice but it is expensive and the sales people (at least the ones I've dealt with) can be a little pushy and sometimes snooty--blended teas are looked down upon. :) The tea is yummy though!

73tomatojane
marraskuu 25, 2009, 8:58 pm

I order my tea from Two Hills Tea in British Columbia. They have tea buyers who go to China and Sri Lanka twice a year to select their teas. I drink Premium Dragonwell green, but Two Hills sells many blacks, greens, and whites. They are wonderful people to do business with, and their teas are very good quality.

74BooksCatsEtc
joulukuu 16, 2009, 2:00 am

I get my loose tea from a place down the street called The Vintage Tea Leaf. The bag tea I like, Tazo, I can get from either the market or Starbucks.

75JGL53
joulukuu 22, 2009, 11:12 pm

Teazonline.com

If they don't have the tea you want then you probably don't need it. LOL.

76Osbaldistone
Muokkaaja: heinäkuu 19, 2014, 9:28 pm

I buy locally (Austin, Texas) from Tea Embassy (http://www.teaembassy.com). Online, mostly from Stash Tea (http://www.stashtea.com)

Os.

UPDATE - Tea Embassy closed their storefront and only sell mail order now. So now I have to pay shipping to buy tea from the tea company right here in town!

77pcnurse
tammikuu 25, 2010, 2:49 pm

I buy Harney and Stash from Amazon and a local health food store. I also buy from a local tea shop here in Wichita. http://www.zoomdweebies.com They are only open on Tuesdays at their location. But they sell online also at http://www.52teas.com/ They have so many great teas. They create one each week. My new fave is Pumpkin Pie Black Tea. And my old fave is Pomegranate Honeybush.

78sandyl
tammikuu 27, 2010, 5:05 pm

Tämä käyttäjä on poistettu roskaamisen vuoksi.

79lahochstetler
tammikuu 27, 2010, 7:50 pm

>77 pcnurse:- thank you for introducing me to 52 teas! Wow, I will definitely have to keep up with them, some of those teas look fantastic.

80DanMat
Muokkaaja: maaliskuu 8, 2010, 11:42 am

I wholeheartedly recommend Strand Teas out of Oregon. Mostly loose teas. I first ordered from them about three years ago when I was looking to buy rooibos. I'm not into the rooibos so much anymore, but I've discovered some other wonderful stuff in the mean time. Currently I drink tulsi (holy basil) which I find delicious and refreshing. I love his Irish Breakfast and have become hooked on the luscious licorice. I've tried out some of the smokey teas, honeybush, roasted yerba mate, a positively soporific whole flower chamomile, so there is a good variety. Jack will usually throw in a sample flavor with your order and a little pack of butter cookies. Fast shipping and no nonsense ordering.

http://www.strandtea.com/

811dragones
maaliskuu 8, 2010, 12:00 pm

I live in an area with very poor resources for purchasing tea. The best supply (many different brands, but only a few flavors of each) seems to be Wal-Mart. Our Kroger stores (two of them) have a similarly poor supply, fewer brands and fewer flavors than Wal-Mart... and higher prices, too, for the most part, but no better quality for the price. We don't have another major grocery store close enough to be worth the cost of gasoline to go shopping. :(

Mostly I buy my teas online from Adagio Teas, as mentioned in post #1. In addition to good quality teas of many different varieties, Adagio also has nice tea ware and other items appropriate for gift giving.

82lahochstetler
maaliskuu 10, 2010, 7:47 pm

I'm a big fan of Adagio too. I especially like that you can buy other people's custom blends- there's so many yummy creations I would never have anticipated.

83supermoon10
Muokkaaja: maaliskuu 11, 2010, 2:05 am

I most recently picked up a tin of tea from Chapters (Canadian book store); Harney and Son's English Breakfast to be exact.

But other than that, I frequent/order from
Murchie's (Canadian tea store line)
The Urban Tea Merchant (shop that specializes in an imported French tea--The O Dor)
Tealicious Tea Company (another Canadian exclusive one)
Andrews and Dunham's Damn Fine Teas Series 3!
I have also picked up tea from Winners (A tea from a company called "Hazo") before.

There are also many more companies and shops I plan to order from/visit eventually, but have not yet. Sometimes I just pick up stuff from Superstore. Yogi and President's Choice, etc.

84AquariusNat
maaliskuu 12, 2010, 10:47 pm

Had a cuppa Blackberry Sage from Republic of Tea . Nice fruity black tea .

85JGL53
maaliskuu 13, 2010, 12:36 pm

Just curious - I like tea that is just tea, green or black - no added fruit-flavors or other flavors.

Am I alone in this?

86Allama
maaliskuu 13, 2010, 5:38 pm

>85 JGL53: No, I primarily enjoy non-flavored black, green, and red teas as well. Occasionally I'll go for an herbal blend but I never buy fruit-flavored teas of any variety.

87bnielsen
maaliskuu 14, 2010, 7:17 am

#85: No, I too prefer non-flavored teas. (Though I'm sipping a Lapsang Souchong at the moment. I didn't buy it though, so I'm just ridding my tea shelf of it.)

88PixieMum
maaliskuu 14, 2010, 4:21 pm

Here in England we buy our tea in Marks & Spencer. It is Fairtrade, looseleaf and we buy strong tea.

If not M&S we buy Yorkshire Tea, especially the loose tea for hard water areas. (London has very hard water but that makes good strong tea)

We drink Earl Grey tea, thast comes in teabags and the most recent was bought from Traidcraft.

89lahochstetler
maaliskuu 15, 2010, 12:08 am

I drink both flavored and non-flavored- depends on the mood and/or occasion for me. I'm about to make a cup of silver needle.

90staffordcastle
maaliskuu 15, 2010, 1:07 am

Me too; right now, it's a cup of Thé sur le Nil from Mariage Frères, a very nice green tea, with fruit flavors.

91duanewilliams
maaliskuu 15, 2010, 3:28 pm

I have for years done business with Upton Tea (www.uptontea.com), but the last time I checked they were not carrying Pan Long Ying Hao, so I will probably start shopping elsewhere.

92littlebones
maaliskuu 21, 2010, 6:57 pm

A new store just opened in my city called DAVIDsTEA. It's amazing and now I'm obsessed with tea.

http://www.davidstea.com

93havetea
maaliskuu 26, 2010, 8:11 pm

I am not familiar with this one but you might try

7 Cups - sevencups.com

or
yunnansourcing.com

both tea sources directly from china - experts in tea production and have relationships with tea masters from green tea, oolongs to pueh etc

94havetea
maaliskuu 26, 2010, 8:13 pm

the above message was in response to message 91 - I am new at this

95lahochstetler
maaliskuu 30, 2010, 3:17 am

David's Tea looks great. A forsee a web order in my future.

96tiegster
huhtikuu 11, 2010, 1:55 pm

I've decided to get a lot of my tea now from the Dutch store/Mennonite store that are a little drive from where I live. They grow a lot of their own herbs and dry them for tisanes and have their own tea blends as well. I'm getting most of my groceries from them from now on as well.
Their country store has plenty of Harney and Sons in 4 oz. loose leaf tins and in ONE POUND bags as well!!! They also have available the tea book that H&S published too.

97Bcteagirl
huhtikuu 11, 2010, 10:45 pm

I get a lot of my tea from Capital Tea in Toronto. It is only online now, but I did visit when they had a store as well. I am addicted to their Ginger Black tea, and get most of my Assam, Darjeeling and Yunnan from them. :)
http://www.capitaltea.com/

98sollocks
huhtikuu 11, 2010, 11:31 pm

I buy mostly local teas here, we have the Tao of Tea in Portland as well as the Tea Zone. Though there is a Teavana around here somewhere. I did find a small selection at Sur la Table that they import. Dammann Frères. The Jardin Bleu is exquisite.

99simaqian
huhtikuu 12, 2010, 3:14 am

China makes the best tea in the world and as such I usually limit myself to Chinese teas. Living in China makes doing so really easy! In America I use two different stores. In Cambridge, Massachusetts I love to visit Tealuxe, which is not a stone's throw from Harvard. In Burlington, Vermont I always spend some time at Dobra Tea (www.dobratea.com).

I was just reading this really interesting blog post (http://thenetworksense.com/2010/04/12/the-taobao-tea-trail-kickoff/) about a guy who is trying to try 100 different varieties of Chinese tea (1/week) by buying directly from local producers using the wildly popular Chinese version of Ebay: Taobao. It is harder, though not impossible, to buy things off of Taobao if you don't live in China and, as with many items, Taobao is a fantastic way (the best way?) to get cheap high quality goods from people all over China.

Right now my favorite place to buy tea is the large tea market near Zhongshan park in Shanghai. You can spend hours there (especially now when the new shipments of freshly picked green teas have arrived - dragon well being my favorite) the vendors are generally very nice and will pour you dozens of varieties of tea for free while you discuss the merits of each. It is a wonderfully leisurely way of buying tea and frankly you will be hard pressed to find people more interested and knowledgeable than a Chinese tea vendor.

Of course, when I am in Xishuangbanna (the most southern tip of Yunnan province near the borders of Burma, Laos and Vietnam) I like to visit a family that lives in a small village in the mountains. They are the wealthiest family of the village due to the fact that they produce the world's most coveted variety of tea: pu'er (普洱茶). The tea plants they harvest from are supposedly over 150 years old and grow on the rainforested hillsides. Every step of the process is done by hand, from the picking, drying and fermenting to the production of the compressed plates of pu'er tea leaves. Their tea is the best I have ever had (location probably played a part in that). Here's a picture (one of many): http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldcitizen/228096119/in/set-72157594226013960/

100Doulton
huhtikuu 12, 2010, 9:03 pm

Some of the places that sell samplers for less than the cost of a tea-bag at Star$$ are:

Upton's
American Tea Room
Golden Moon
Samovar
Harney & Sons

I am also a fan of 52teas. I've ordered from China and I've ordered from France and Canada and the service has been speedier than some of my orders with companies in the USA.

101Bcteagirl
huhtikuu 13, 2010, 11:08 am

Yes 52teas has some unique flavours. I keep meaning to order from Uptons as soon as I 'use up' some of my tea, but the tea cupboard seems to keep refilling itself :P

102ArchivistLady
syyskuu 15, 2010, 2:19 pm

At home I buy tea at TJ Maxx and Big Lots- I have found the most unusual teas for great prices. On the road I stock up when I am near Teavana or a specialty tea shop. I had the pleasure of spending a summer in Saugatuck, MI and got hooked on the tea selection at https://secure.spicemerchants.biz/sm/products/c/164/White_Teas. Try the white cucumber mixed with an berry tisane. I also love the Aveda brand tea available at Aveda salons.

103varielle
syyskuu 20, 2010, 9:12 pm

I had pondered the funky teas on display in the checkout line at TJ Maxx and was afraid to buy lest they be old. So, I take it they are OK?

104ArchivistLady
syyskuu 21, 2010, 4:01 pm

There is a common misconception that the items at TJ Maxx are "last years". TJ Maxx and similar stores carry new items are are perfectly safe for consumption.

105varielle
syyskuu 21, 2010, 5:32 pm

Good to know. I must make an excursion to TJM (my happy shopping place) to try out some new varieties.

106fuck1111
lokakuu 4, 2010, 12:05 am

Tämä käyttäjä on poistettu roskaamisen vuoksi.

107fuck1111
lokakuu 4, 2010, 12:06 am

Tämä käyttäjä on poistettu roskaamisen vuoksi.

108jmkbuddy
maaliskuu 1, 2013, 5:49 pm

I buy my tea online from www.Bluemoontea.com They have a full line of the finest imported teas from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, as well as their own Blue Moon Teas. Because they also have a variety of things on their website - candy, baked goods, tea ware, tea cozies, etc. - It's become my go to for gifts. It's in Tacoma, Washington, and the shipping is very fast. I really recommend their chocolate teas - dessert in a cup! without calories.!

109Osbaldistone
maaliskuu 2, 2013, 12:06 am

I forgot to mention that I find several "Republic of Tea" loose teas at Whole Foods Market, though the selection varies quite a bit between stores. At my nearest store, they have three loose black teas in their own 'organic' brand (Allegro) that are quite nice, and about half the cost per ounce compared to Republic of Tea.

I know they've been expanding in the US, so, perhaps, some of you can find out what they carry in your area.

Os.

110immreading
maaliskuu 2, 2013, 7:02 am

Just like you ,I usually buy tea from:
Lupicia Fresh Tea
Teavana

111David-Anselm
maaliskuu 2, 2013, 1:38 pm

The only place I get my tea from is www.uptontea.com. I have ordered from them for 5 years. Like an earlier post, I prefer to call their 800 numbers for all the friendly advice and conversation. They do have a very good website.

112parelle
kesäkuu 5, 2013, 10:15 am

Elmwood Inn are our house tea suppliers - http://elmwoodinn.com/
Mostly because I buy tea by the pound from Amazon and have a reorder every few months :) But their Assam and Earl Grey are quite good.

Special teas are from Fortnum and Mason (their Smokey Earl Grey is my husband's favorite), acquired by badgering friends to bring them back for us on occasional trips to London. Luckily, we have an acquaintance tea lover headed there in September, who promises to have an empty suitcase...

113Osbaldistone
kesäkuu 6, 2013, 2:12 am

>76 Osbaldistone:
Bad news for me. I was in my local tea shop (Tea Embassy) and they said they were closing the shop to sell online only. So now, to buy tea from the shop here in town, I have to go online and pay shipping. Arghh!

Os.

114varielle
kesäkuu 6, 2013, 12:57 pm

Maybe they would let you come by their shipping office and pick it up.

115Osbaldistone
kesäkuu 6, 2013, 1:40 pm

>114 varielle:
The clerk at the shop the last time I was in indicated not, but I don't consider that definitive. We'll see, I guess.

Os.

116agjuba
kesäkuu 8, 2013, 11:41 am

>113 Osbaldistone:
Wow, I had no idea they were closing their physical store. Guess I should have shopped there more often....

117Osbaldistone
kesäkuu 8, 2013, 4:40 pm

>116 agjuba:
Yeah, that was my reaction, but I'm sure it would take more than 5 or 6 folks doubling their purchases to make a difference. It's a 1-1/2 hour round trip drive for me, so I only dropped in about three times a year, when in town for some other reason, and I would stock up on anything that I didn't have in surplus. I'll just have to treat the online site the same, and purchase enough to justify the shipping cost. Four ounces of tea would cost as much to ship as the tea, but four ounces of four different teas, and the shipping cost per tea drops to something tolerable.

Os.

118coffeemuggirl
Muokkaaja: helmikuu 9, 2014, 2:44 am

Tämä käyttäjä on poistettu roskaamisen vuoksi.

119twogerbils
maaliskuu 12, 2014, 11:36 am

I recently bought a boat load of tea from a new independent shop in my area (Cleveland, OH) call the Tea Lab. - http://thetealab.us/ They have an awful website, a better FB page, a great selection of tea, and very friendly staff. We have a Teavana here, but I really don't like the shop, their teas, or generally their staff.

120tardis
maaliskuu 12, 2014, 12:04 pm

I prefer to buy loose tea from a local shop, Cally's Teas. We have several specialty tea chain shops here: Teavana, David's Teas, etc. and the tea is generally acceptable, but I still like the one and only Cally best :). I get every day teabags (either Orange Pekoe or Earl Grey) from the grocery store, and people give me tea all the time because they know I like it. I've got about 25 kinds in the cupboard right now and I'm making a concerted effort to try them all and weed out the ones I don't like. So far, only the herbal mixes have hit the compost bucket.

A friend is also selling tea from a company called Steeped Teas, which does home and internet sales. Seems like typical pyramid marketing. The tea seems quite good but I can't buy any until I've cleared out my cupboard and they do seem to have far too many flavoured teas. I don't enjoy strong fruity flavours in tea.

121maggie.spence
huhtikuu 26, 2014, 12:45 pm

Teavana.

122Felurian
Muokkaaja: kesäkuu 17, 2014, 1:56 pm

I'll second Eurydice on www.uptontea.com !

I think their own blends are lovely, especially the River Shannon Breakfast and Russian Caravan, but the estate teas are a revelation. I especially love the Castleton and Makaibari first flush darjeelings.

123beatlemoon
tammikuu 2, 2015, 9:49 pm

teadog.com is my favorite site. They carry many British and Irish teas, mostly teas such as you might find in the supermarket - including store brand teas such as Sainbury's and Marks & Spencer. For we Americans who don't necessarily care about fancy flavors and just want solid everyday teas, this site is a godsend.

For those looking for an alternative to a store like Teavana or Adagio that offers lots of blends, check out David's Tea (davidstea.com), from Canada. Absolutely delicious and high quality!

124Teo1977
Muokkaaja: helmikuu 13, 2016, 12:02 pm

I live in Canada and I buy teas from Premium Teas. It is a Toronto based company offering exclusively Harney & Sons fine teas in Canada. Free shipping on orders of $35 or more.

www.premiumteas.ca

125defaults
Muokkaaja: helmikuu 13, 2016, 12:59 pm

Of late I mainly acquire tea by discovering it in forgotten jars in cupboards. Extrapolating, I might never have to buy tea again, it just pops up in there!

126anthonywillard
Muokkaaja: helmikuu 13, 2016, 7:57 pm

I have been buying Japanese teas from Mellow Monk (mellowmonk.com). They import high quality sencha-type teas from a select group of growers in Kumamoto, Japan, at reasonable prices. I am not an expert on Japanese tea, but I find these teas are much more satisfactory than corresponding teas from other suppliers in the same price range.

127gmathis
helmikuu 16, 2016, 8:33 am

>125 defaults: defaults ...Absolutely! Put two tea bags in a closed tin in the dark and they multiply like tribbles!

128rosalita
helmikuu 16, 2016, 9:50 am

I have gotten some excellent varieties from the New Mexico Tea Company. If you register on their website (completely free and they don't spam you with a lot of email) you are eligible to get a free sample each month of the tea of your choice. You also get free shipping on your tea orders if you are registered. My favorite sample that I've tried so far was Royal Bengal Tiger, which is a little spicy and a little fruity and a lot tasty.

I hope someday I can get there in person but for now online will have to do.

129tealadytoo
kesäkuu 19, 2016, 1:54 pm