Thursday TeaDay 10/08/09 Indian teas?

[Chip]

Welcome everyone to TeaDay. Please do drop in and share what is in your cup throughout the day.

Yesterday we discussed teas we were eyeballing. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. For a couple days, we will try to obtain a consensus on what teas we have in house. Today, please share whether or not you own any Indian teas that are still fresh and usable? Share some information regarding your Indian teas.

I am looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with everyone. Bottoms up.

[Katrina]

Whoa. I'm actually first. I guess that means I stayed up WAY too late tonight.

I definitely always have a few Indian teas in the cabinet. I can't say I have any absolute favorites in the grouping, but some solid contenders.

[brlarson]

I have no Indian teas at home. The few Darjeeling that I've tried taste wonderful, but they have too much caffeine and they make my heart pound. In fact most black tea is too strong for me except for pu and handful of Chinese red teas.

[Drax]

I have a couple of sample Darjeeling teas from Adagio, but I don't have any in greater quantities (nor have I even bought any in greater quantities).

I decided to go one last round w/ the rou gui. It's rouguiffic.

[Victoria]

Yes, and a good many - I have lots of 2009 FF Darjeeling on hand and still fresh. I have really enjoyed the First Flushes this year, at a time when it seems others have not.

In my cup this morning a great '09 FF - Soom Estate.

Have a nice day everyone!

[JBaymore]

Darjeeling in tea bags........ so I voted "no".

best,

..........john

[depravitea]

Just some Assam Harmony from Adagio.
It's not too old lol
Anymore, if I want to drink a black, it's usually something Chinese, and usually something Yunnan.

No tea yet this morning. Soon though, very soon.

[olivierco]

I didn't buy many Darjeeling this year. None in fact but I got some nice samples (Thanks again Victoria) and bought two Himalayan teas from Mariage Frères.

Otsuusan sencha this afternoon.

[Proinsias]

Lagging behind Chinese and Japanese and mainly in sample 10/25g packs.

At least twenty wee bags lying around the cupboard and a few bigger pouches.

Gearing up for my first organic sencha this afternoon, the tension is building.

[Intuit]

Indian teas have been daily drinking teas along with Taiwanese oolongs for decades. In my cupboard: estate Ceylons, Nilgiris, Assams, Darjs. Dooars/Sikim - blacks, and a few greens (Assam, Darj), whites (Ceylon, Nilgiri and Darjs) and oolongs (Nilgiri and Darj).

Just stocked up on Darjs and Assams. Looking to pick up a few new-to-me estate Ceylons.

Estate Assam in my cup, different garden than yesterday.

[geeber1]

Yes, a good many. My favorite Indian tea is Nilgiri, but strangely enough, I have Keemun Rhapsody this morning! Guess I should have read the poll before brewing today!

[chamekke]

I do have some Darjeeling and Nilgiri, but mostly I drink Japanese and Chinese teas. Maybe I need to explore Indian teas a bit more seriously one of these days...

Speaking of Indian/black teas, the other day I went to Murchie's (a famous local tea shop) to buy some small boxes of tea to take to Japan as gifts. I watched very carefully to see what the Japanese tourists bought, and they always went for black tea blends such as "Golden Jubilee" (Darjeeling, Ceylon, Keemun). When I checked with a saleswoman, she confirmed that the visitors from Japan prefer to buy those teas - possibly because they're exotic/harder to get back home. So, I stocked up on a bunch of 'em

[CynTEAa]

Funny you should ask...just finished some Assams, they are still on the tasting table. Hoping to cup some Nilgiri soon.

And I always have plenty of Darjeeling beauties around.

Have a great TeaDay everyone!!

[leiche2]

Oddly enough, I don't have any Indian teas in my cupboard at the moment. The closest thing I have is an Irish Breakfast blend that has some Assam in it. I love Indian blacks, especially Assams, though! I do expect that I'll be stocking up on heavier teas now the weather's grown cooler.

In my cup just now: fresh apple cider from the orchard that's 10 minutes from my childhood home.

[Chip]

Funny you should ask...just finished some Assams, they are still on the tasting table. Hoping to cup some Nilgiri soon.

And I always have plenty of Darjeeling beauties around.

Funny you would mention cupping lots of Assams, I thought of this yesterday, and the mere thought of it almost made me nauseous. Darjeeling and similar type high growns, I could do that all day ... sorry, I have truly tried many Assam and just not my cup o' tea I guess.

I have LOTS of Indian teas, almost all Darjeeling. NO ASSAMS in da haus!!! I have not purchased a single Indian tea in at least 3 years, yet I always have them in abundance thanks to members and the "A-Team." This is a great situation for me, since this way I never have to search and shop for Darjeelings which is a pretty big task IMHO.