Fanatical Thursday TeaDay Fanatical tea locator?

[Chip]

Welcome TeaFriends to TeaDay. Today is the last installment of Fanatical TeaDay...maybe not. Please share what is in our cups today...all day! I am looking forward to sharing TeaDay with everyone...so, bottoms up, refill, repeat often!

Yesterday we discussed fanatical teacup selection. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic is about how fanatical are you about where you buy your tea. Please share.

Have a great TeaDay, everyone!

[Seeker]

Probably.

Tried some Kenyan SN - tossed it.
Went to the 4th infusion of moonlight instead.
Much, much better (to say the least).

[Victoria]

Pretty fanatical - I have my choice vendors, I don't like
to wander too far, now that I've narrowed them down.

[chittychat]

Not really fanatical, however, I stick to vendors which satisfy my needs such as prices, choices, quality and efficient service.

Had an afternoon wu yi tea of unknown heritage.

[ladybean]

I picked other. I'm not so 'not fanatical' that I'd buy at a dollar store, but I do like to go with retailers who're established in some regard. The exception may be that flea market downtown, though I doubt I'll buy from them again.

[artmom]

I'm not very fanatical, yet.

No tea yet this morning, a bit early for me.

[laura99]

Still too early in my tea life to be fanatical, as I am still experimenting. Although I should say yes in concerns to Japanese greens. From now on they will only be purchased from vendors that specialize in same.

Tea day started this morning with Adagios spring Darjeeling. The only other FF I have had was from uptons and I was not impressed, but I really like this one.

[Victoria]

Starting the morning with a 2010 Darjeeling Oolong from Camellia Sinensis,
one of my top vendors. I'm very Fanatical about them.

Have a nice day everyone!

[dooble]

Probably, I tend to avoid the overly commercial hip-vendors. But there's not much of them around, luckily, or their selection is too scarce.

Drinking Mao Jian from Hunan. Maybe the lovely 80's Dong Ding from The Essence of Tea in the afternoon .

[JBaymore]

Not very fanatical. I pick it up both in local Asian grocery stores here and in Boston as well as occasionally online.

When I am in Japan (about once a year lately) I "stock up" at various places and bring it back in my suitcases and sometimes ship back rather large boxes (たかいですよ。). That covers a lot of ground for us (suitcases really packed ).

best,

..............john

[brad4419]

Pretty fanatical about where I buy my tea. I rarly wonder too far from my main sources and the few times I have it was dissapointing. So mostly reliable sources recommended from you teachatters

bao zhong this morning.

[Skippyandjif]

I'm not very fanatical. My only requirements are really that the tea is stored properly and that the place is clean (if it's not an online retailer); for online retailers, appearing very knowledgeable about the tea being sold is very important.

Lapsang souchong this morning. (It's still morning!!! ...By about five minutes. But even so, yesssss! )

[Chip]

I am pretty fanatical, maybe extremely except I try many new vendors ... at least once anyway. Repeatedly used vendors, I am definitely extremely fanatical about.

Began the TD with 88 Nights from Maeda-en. Came out pretty good. SweeTea would agree, while Kati and Lil Bit really came for the treats.

[nickE]

I would say I'm pretty fanatical. I like to learn a lot about vendors before I place an order, just to make sure other tea drinkers have approved. Also, once I find vendors (for specific teas) I like, I tend to stick with them. I do order from a wide range of vendors, though.

In my cup today, '09 Menghai "Hong Yun" Shupu. This is a great full flavored shu that I heartily recommend. Lasted a full 12 steeps! Yummy.

[Marco]

I like to try and test. There are a lot of vendors - try them all
But I come back if I am satisfied. They will never see me again if I have bad personal experiances.

Back from vacation and for about one week no tea.
Today began with a matcha Izumi. A cheap green at work - nothing special.
A Izumi again after coming home. And now I've had a Lung Ching.
Thinking about a white tea afterwards.