Some good sense there, Dominic.

My retail company Nothing But Tea Ltd based in the UK sells around the
world (34 countries to date) and our second biggest market is the USA
from which I have noticed over the past five years increasing clamour
for teas that are "earliest", "youngest", "first", "this season's".
Many of the teas we sell are better for some aging - our hand made
Georgian teas are an example, where given the choice of a range of age
from our stock, I prefer drinking ones at least two years old - but
impossible to sell a 2005 season Georgian into the US, already we are
being asked for 2008 season samples - unobtainable until June.

Nigel at Teacraft


On Mar 10, 11:31*pm, "Dominic T." > wrote:
> Honestly I don't really concern myself with all the first flush stuff
> anymore, I just buy what is good - not new.
> Rarity used to be a game I played, but I quickly realized that rare or
> "first" doesn't always amount to much but an empty wallet. Sometimes
> some new fresh green is worth it, but mostly it is just hype IMO. It's
> worth trying a few each year but I wouldn't stock my cupboard solely
> on FF/First Picked Spring's.