TeaSource "Official" Black Tea Topic

[Chip]

TeaSource was nominated and confirmed for our TeaVendor Guide under the Black Tea category. If you would like to nominate them to other categories, you may do this, otherwise limit discussion to their Black Tea offerings. Thank you!

NEW! Official Black Tea Vendor Guide for TeaSource.com Consider this a perennial topic for Black teas from TeaSource to discuss and review.

http://teasource.com/merchant2/merchant ... Code=Black

Official Black Tea Vendor Guide. Let's see what happens with this wild and crazy idea. You can view the main Black TeaVendor Guide here: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=11933 and the main TeaVendor Guide here: http://www.teachat.com/viewforum.php?f=60

[geeber1]

I just want to give props to TeaSource for their excellent product, even more excellent customer service, and quick shipping. I have ordered from them several times and they are always a pleasure to work with.

Their teas are always well-packaged and fresh.

An example of their great service: A couple months ago, I placed an order, but then had a dog emergency and needed $$$. I emailed TeaSource and asked if it was possible to cancel my order and get a refund. They had already processed and packed my order, but they were very nice and canceled it for me. To have customer service like that is above and beyond, and I think it's something to appreciate!

I was able to order again last week and somehow missed entering my $5 off coupon code. Again, they provided excellent customer service and gave me the $5 credit after I asked about it. I highly recommend them!

[Victoria]

I agree, great customer service and reasonable prices.
Also some nice tea accessories, like their tea timer
and foil bags that can be bought individually.
Very nice for sharing tea samples.

[geeber1]

I do wish they would have photos of their tea, though. I'm sure that causes some people to not order from them.

[Victoria]

Yes, their site needs work.

[Chasm]

The website is bare bones. So is the local shop, really. Bill Waddington is devoted to getting people good tea at low cost, which accounts for a lot of the minimalism.

The service you mention is part of that; he has a strong loathing for mall tea stores that try to upsell their customers. His people don't do that, and you can't actually get them to recommend an expensive tea by asking an open-ended question; you have to ask about the specific tea itself. They're committed to not abusing their customers' wallets.

I'm a bit staggered by the sheer variety of black teas I've sampled there; it took me a while, but I eventually learned to take the descriptions very literally. If it says "meaty", for example, the tea will taste like meat somewhere in the flavor profile. There was one Russian-type black that tasted like it had been boiled with beef jerky.

[minor_glitch]

Just noticed TeaSource has a new website. Way more functional than their old one. Too bad shipping to Canada is so expensive.

[GooseberrySpoon]

I was in the area and went to one of their retail locations to pick up some blacks. I like shopping in actual stores and supporting local tea vendors and whatnot, but I'm usually disappointed by places being overly blend based, expensive, pretentious, or God forbid afternoon tea themed (without a decent Darjeeling!). This place was nice and seemed focused on the tea without the huge board of tea based (and often non-tea based) sugary smoothy boba drinks I hate looking through. The employee was super helpful letting me look and smell the tea and giving suggestions without upselling. They even had a nice binder that separated tea by type (black, green, ect), and then by style (2nd flush Darjeeling, Keemun, masala chai) which has to be the best thing to ever happen to me in a tea store. Now I just have a single page to look at listed by price!. I was happy with everything I came out of there with including their Grand Keemun which was listed as Mr. Waddington's "desert island tea" and for good reason.

My only quibble is the 2 oz minimum as I really prefer half that for trying a new tea, but I can see how they may need to draw the line somewhere to keep down packaging costs. If I was worried about what I was getting I probably would have taken the time to try some before purchase.

[cwj]

I've placed a few orders with TeaSource recently, and I'm pleasantly surprised by the good quality.
I guess I figured the prices seemed a little low for good tea, but so far I'm two for two...both their Iron Goddess (finally a med-light roasted TGY, yay!) and Brandy Oolong (ultra smooth and highly oxidized) have sneaked their way into the "daily drinker" section of my tea cabinet
I've grown very bored with green oolongs, so it's nice to actually see some cheaper, good tasting dark oolong.
Now to try some of their black teas....

- just realized this thread is about black teas only...sorry about that, I thought it was about the vendor TeaSource in general