Friday TeaDay 1/08/10 New for 2010?

[olivierco]

Marukyu-koyamaen has been on my list for a while but I don't feel the need to test a new vendor as I am quite satisfied with my current list of vendors. I however guess that if marukyu-koyamaen had chosen to accept online orders (and paypal) I would have already ordered from them.

Ippoen gyokuro (Ippodo), Musashi sencha (Tsuen via O-Cha) and Gold needles (Mariage Frères) this evening.

[brad4419]

Definately not. Because of several nice teaware additions last year and some major splurging on more tea than planned Im trying to buy only my favorites in 2010 to make up for it.

assam today

[Chip]

Happy TC anniversary, Victoria.

I will definitely be looking to try some more vendors within my area of keenest interest, Japanese tea. I don't think I will ever stop trying new vendors since it is always an adventure, even though there can be some disappointment along the way. But someone has to do it, right? I try to limit disappointments by being pretty selective.

My short list includes these most likely possibilities.

Kaburagien
Umami-Chaya
Horaido
GreenTea-Japan
MellowMonk
Charaku (2 different vendors with this name ... hmmm)

Like Olivier, it has held me back on at least several vendors of Japanese tea because their sites are not set up to make purchases.

[Chip]

Began the TD with a trial of Organic Warashina Supreme from O-Cha that really blew me away. Possibly the best Asamushi ... and best Organic I have had this harvest. SweeTea joined in this trial while Pyrit and Ceylon just hung out at the TeaTable.

Next up, a tasting of Zencha Fuji SP. And finishing with Kukicha from Den's. A great TD.

[rhondabee]

I just placed orders with Tea from Taiwan and Ishopo to try their high mountain oolongs. I also want to buy some tea from Teamasters this year and perhaps Hou De.

[Janine]

This is a good question; I'm not quite sure which new vendors I'd like to try. I already have too much tea in the sense that I'm not sure all the tea I have is good for aging, and I certainly can't drink what I have before a normal "expiration" date. However, I find that I have enjoyed a lot of tea that accidentally aged in my cabinets!

I'd like to try online vendors, since I am really lacking in that department, and I'd also like to try a few vendors others have told me about. I'm going to have to work on this further! Mostly I want to explore new teas and try some unusual teas that one or two vendors I already use have "discovered" in their sourcing.

Today I visited Imperial Tea Court and had their Huang Zhi (winter Phoenix oolong). I love this tea from a tea shop I visit in New Jersey. I really enjoyed Imperial Tea's winter batch: dark winey looking leaves that turn a soft forest green in the gaiwan, a really floral scent to the tea. Incredibly, powerfully warming and able to go many steeps.