Tead Off wrote:Chip wrote:
With all due respect, I would value your assessment of O-Cha pricing if I felt you had enough experience to make such a judgement call. But you have tried only a handful of sencha-s from a few vendors commencing this year.
Regardless, I disagree. There are many much more expensive vendors and vendors offering lesser teas at the same price points. Over time, I have found consistent value in O-Cha that keeps me coming back.
I am curious to see how this new vendor's price points hold up over time! I have seen newbies come in with excellent price points initially, then the prices jumped.
I suspect you prefer Kagoshima prefecture offerings more due to the breeds offered from Kago, versus Uji offering predominantly tradtional Yabukita breed.
Yes, it could be the Kago offerings are a different breed and more to my palate, but, if Horaido's article about the Spring 2009 harvest has any bearing, it seems to be holding true with the teas that are not the highest grade from Uji and Shizuoka.
We all know you have some affiliation with O-Cha and that's fine with me but I know how to taste for myself and make evaluations. I understand they may differ from yours, but, it still remains mine. There are more expensive vendors, to be sure. But, the 2 teas I have tried from Hibiki-an, have been way better than O-Cha's Warashina Supreme. But, as Horaido claims, the higher grades are still good, both of the Hibiki-an were high grade and one was much less expensive than O-Cha's. The other, the Pinnacle is slightly more than the above mentioned O-Cha tea but is to date the best sencha I've ever had.
My post was a response to Ed's post, which happens to be on this thread. Try not to get personal, chip, by thinking somehow you know more than everyone else. I respect your opinion, please respect other posters.
It is public record that I moderate 2 tea forums, and it was stated clearly that I moderate the Green Tea Forum before I was even elected by the members of this forum as moderator of TeaChat. And I enjoyed O-Cha teas long before I moderated either forum.
Oh, I do respect the opinions of so many members, new, old, newbs to tea, and veterans. This does not however mean I will not disagree with some members, adamently at times.
However, you stated your opinions, I will state mine. This is not to be confused with making it "personal." Your posting style illicits an equal and opposite reaction that is strong.
So, kindly stop throwing the "personal" yellow flag each time you are countered, that is really beneath you. I am simply discussing at the same level of rhetoric as you for equal emphasis.
If I strongly disagree with your opinions especially when you speak with an air of authority and experience that is simply not there, as I have in the past as well, then I will counter. I think it is important for readers to understand where you are, your "credentials" if you will. Particularly when you cast a negative shadow upon a respected vendor that you in your extremely limited experience have decided to negatively comment upon repeatedly based upon one tea that was clearly not your style.
I am also disputing whether the Uji and Shizuoka teas are inferior this year, I have had little Uji, which was very good and a lot of Shizuoka which was excellent. These were not just from O-Cha and were not all the higher price points.
You are comparing apples to oranges whenever you compare an organic to super premium "pinnicle" non organics as you just have! Perhaps you were not aware of this. However whenever I discuss the tasting of Japanese organics, I tell people to try NOT and compare it to non organics, they are grown so differently that comparison is unfair, possibly not even relevent. I would have to say you have limited points of reference.
OH, and the Pinnicle you speak of costs about 2X as much as the O-Cha tea you are comparing it to, not "slightly more" as you stated. Comparing a high grown Shizuoka organic to nonorganic Uji costing 2X as much, and to then cast judgement based upon this argument upon O-Cha just begs for countering.
You simply have to alter your expectations with organics. This is not to say that there are not good organics. There are. But to compare an organic to a nonorganic costing twice as much is simply absurd.
But wait, you were only interested in organics? But you are judging an organic based on 2 nonorganics? And you refer to the Pinnicle non organic as the best sencha you have ever had. Your post is muddied with inconsistancies.
Again you are judging a company harshly based on a single tea not to your liking. I am basing my enjoyment of their teas and other vendors as well based upon years of experience with not only MANY of their teas, but many others as well ... and not the affiliation that you falsely accuse me of. If I had any affiliation, I would clearly state this for the record, just as I expect of vendors who visit the forum, hmmm, as Kevin has done.
If you unfairly judge any company based upon very limited experience, I will counter, this is a forum after all. I have done for other vendors as well!!!!!
