Fine Tea

[phaedrus]

Question for the Londoners here: is every Whittard store in London the same - I mean does it carry the same range of products? During my visit later this month I'd like to buy a few teas in a tin plus a small Chatsford teapot with the Whittard logo. My guess is that the Oxford Street shop ought to be pretty big...

All the Whittard stores are pretty much the same, though if you are in London visit Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly who sell some nice teas. I am a big fan of their Assam (tippy golden flowery orange pekoe) which is a superb morning tea. It's also worth looking at the Jing tea website for China teas and more.

[SilkySmooth]

Oolong Oriental Beauty!

[Ciaron]

Another resurrection!

(I think the problem is you can't search for the word "tea" on the forum because the search term length minimum is set to 3.)

Anyway,

Can anyone recommend me an online tea supplier or two in the UK?

[Bowcephalus]

Loose leaf Earl Grey brewed in a brown betty......and some cheap shortbread cookies..........................and a chessboard................................and a thunderstorm outside......

[sweetzen]

Wow! Lots of tea aficianados here!

I have to admit that I am not a very experienced tea drinker, and I know virtually nothing about the local teas I buy. I just sample a few, find one I like, and buy it (since I can't read Japanese, the labels are meaningless to me). But one tea that I've really come to love in the evenings is soba tea. It's a grain tea (more info on soba here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soba), and as such it has a wonderful, nutty flavor and no caffeine. It has become my late night tea of choice.

Thanks for the SpecialTeas link. I used to get my Dragon Well tea from an eBay seller, who has since gone out of business. Will look at what this shop has to offer.

[garfinkel]

I can't read Japanese, the labels are meaningless to me.

You should access to some amazing tea there in Japan. Look for a green known as "gyokuro". It looks like a fine, dried, very green, grass. SpecialTeas.com probably sells it. But, you can find it right where you are in Okinawa, I sure. In Tokyo, you can buy tea in the department stores, like Seiyu. I'm sure you'll find similar there.

[sweetzen]

You should access to some amazing tea there in Japan. Look for a green known as "gyokuro". It looks like a fine, dried, very green, grass. SpecialTeas.com probably sells it. But, you can find it right where you are in Okinawa, I sure. In Tokyo, you can buy tea in the department stores, like Seiyu. I'm sure you'll find similar there.

Thanks! I'll look for it the next time I'm at the local Jusco.

While not "fine" tea, I forgot to mention something particular to living in Japan: bottled/canned, unsweeted green tea is available EVERYWHERE (I'd wager you couldn't walk more than a few blocks without coming across a vending machine selling it). So actually the biggest quantity of tea I drink comes in this form. And on a summer day in Okinawa, it does wonders to help beat the heat.

[Hobbesoxon]

Ahh, tea! Homeground here for me, it's my primary passion alongside exercising my Merkur. :)

With regards to shops in London, never think about entering a Whittards. It's average tea, at best, at truly outrageous prices. My recommended spot is TeaSmith, in Spitalfields. Every time I come down to London (I live an hour away), I try to head there. Great tea, great atmosphere, very knowledgeable host (John) who plays the role of the barman to a tee. (I should add that I have no connection, other than being a satisfied customer.)

As for buying tea over the Internet, Jing Tea UK are good, but my favourites are the similarly-named www.jingteashop.com, based in Guangzhou, South China. The latter are truly excellent, and thoroughly recommended. Likewise, www.houdeasianart.com. Among Internet tea-freaks, Jing (China) and Houde are the cream.

If you're interested in tea-related scribblings, I've been writing about it for quite a while (half-dipper.blogspot.com), and there are some great tea-blogs linked from there that you can navigate your away around to your heart's content. The internet tea community is big'n'friendly, much like B&B.

Dive in. I was always brought up with the saying that there are three great things in life: wine, cheese, and tea. I think I'll add "traditional shaving" to that list when I pass it onto my own children one day... :)


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

[Eastree]

Actually, it was a fellow member of a tea forum who caught my attention for wet shaving. I haven't purchased anything new recently, but I have a fair amount in reserves at the moment.

And yeah, several of us at that tea forum are fans of Hobbes's blog.

[Hobbesoxon]

Actually, it was a fellow member of a tea forum who caught my attention for wet shaving. I haven't purchased anything new recently, but I have a fair amount in reserves at the moment.

And yeah, several of us at that tea forum are fans of Hobbes's blog.

Most kind, sir.

It was also a member of the tea community that first raised traditional shaving in my mind (Doddy). Then, the Zenhabits article finally tipped me over the edge!

In fact, I'm just off to gongfucha some Xizihao prior to my shave this morning... I wish all days could start this way. :)


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

[ouch]

Beautiful rig you've got there, Hobbes. Thanks for the blog link- looks like there's a lot to digest there.

[Hobbesoxon]

Beautiful rig you've got there, Hobbes. Thanks for the blog link- looks like there's a look to digest there.

Thankee kindly, sir...

Making tea in the "traditional" Chinese way is really similar to traditional shaving. You keep your bowl'n'brush at hot temperatures with water, I do the same with pot'n'cups. It's all about learning the process, feeling your way, learning through making mistakes - the result is something "just right" that you can't pick up from books. The best teas are old, rich and smooth, like whisky/cigars/wine.

Plus, you can easily get TAD in the same way as RAD... (which my wife knows only too well).


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

[analog_kid]

Beautiful rig you've got there, Hobbes. Thanks for the blog link- looks like there's a look to digest there.

+ infinity! That's really awesome!

[ouch]

Plus, you can easily get TAD in the same way as RAD... (which my wife knows only too well).


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

Really?


http://www.necessiteas.com/

[Scruff McGruff]

...It was also a member of the tea community that first raised traditional shaving in my mind (Doddy)...

Well, I suppose I'm continuing the lineage of tea bloggers (mine is http://www.teanerd.com, if you want to look at yet another one) who move on to real wet shaving. It was largely Mr. Dodd who got me interested in the idea as well, but it certainly helped that there were other tea junkies (Hobbes and Eastree) with the same interest.

Also, I can assure you that TAD is certainly a real disorder, as is TWAD (tea ware).

[Hobbesoxon]

Welcome, Brent! Glad to see you aboard the good ship B&B. :)


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

[LukeInFlames]

Wow! Lots of tea aficianados here!

I have to admit that I am not a very experienced tea drinker, and I know virtually nothing about the local teas I buy. I just sample a few, find one I like, and buy it (since I can't read Japanese, the labels are meaningless to me). But one tea that I've really come to love in the evenings is soba tea. It's a grain tea (more info on soba here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soba), and as such it has a wonderful, nutty flavor and no caffeine. It has become my late night tea of choice.

Thanks for the SpecialTeas link. I used to get my Dragon Well tea from an eBay seller, who has since gone out of business. Will look at what this shop has to offer.

Grain tea? do you mean mugicha? that stuff is the bomb. check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mugicha to compare. it's made from roasted barley. if you like that, you might like the Korean Oksusu Cha as well, it's made from roasted corn - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oksusu_cha

mmm, tea.

-L.

[Hobbesoxon]

Grain tea? do you mean mugicha? that stuff is the bomb. check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mugicha to compare. it's made from roasted barley. if you like that, you might like the Korean Oksusu Cha as well, it's made from roasted corn - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oksusu_cha

Great for curing "tea stomach" too, if you've had too much tea in one sitting. :)


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

[tim]

It was largely Mr. Dodd who got me interested in the idea as well, but it certainly helped that there were other tea junkies (Hobbes and Eastree) with the same interest.

Welcome! Pardon my brevity, but with todays' posts my head is aswim in swirls of lather, chocolate, and tea !

[iron maiden]

I'm a fan of assam Jorhat....strong and dark