I did a little shopping online at SpecialTeas.Com today:

Almond Tea with Blanched Almonds 1/4 lb. 1 $4.45
Decaf Darjeeling 1/4 lb. 1 $7.95
Pu-erh Tuo Cha 1/4 lb. 1 $5.95
Tsar's Blend 1/4 lb. 1 $6.95
Tukdah FTGFOP-1 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $2.00
Goomtee FTGFOP-1S First Flush 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $3.00
Makaibari FTGFOP-1S First Flush (Organic) 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $2.00
Sungma FTGFOP-1 Second Flush 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $2.00

Shipping: $4.95 (USPS priority mail)
Grand Total: $39.25

I got quarter-pound quantities of the cheap ones, and samplers
of the expensive ones so I can decide which I'll like best.

$40 is some scratch, but it still seems like a screaming
deal for half-a-Key of the good stuff, considering a week
or two ago I paid $8 each for those two 10-gram tins of Te'
tea (the silver needles and the keemun), which I have no
doubt (because I've tasted them) were extraordinarily good,
but let's get real, even at $18 for the 50-gram canister,
they're priced way above market...

--Blair
"I mean, it's just vegetable soup, right?"

Blair P. Houghton > writes:

> [...buying tea short of nosebleed prices...]
> --Blair
> "I mean, it's just vegetable soup, right?"

Yes, made from dried vegetables.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

Blair P. Houghton > writes:

> [...buying tea short of nosebleed prices...]
> --Blair
> "I mean, it's just vegetable soup, right?"

Yes, made from dried vegetables.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

In article > (Sun, 30 May 2004
21:31:45 +0000), Blair P. Houghton wrote:

> I did a little shopping online at SpecialTeas.Com today:
>
> [...]
> Sungma FTGFOP-1 Second Flush 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $2.00

Is that 2004 Sungma? I had a 2 oz. sample last year and thought it was
very good. (I'm reduced to Lipton Connoisseur which, fortunately, runs
about $9.00/lb.)

In article > (Sun, 30 May 2004
21:31:45 +0000), Blair P. Houghton wrote:

> I did a little shopping online at SpecialTeas.Com today:
>
> [...]
> Sungma FTGFOP-1 Second Flush 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $2.00

Is that 2004 Sungma? I had a 2 oz. sample last year and thought it was
very good. (I'm reduced to Lipton Connoisseur which, fortunately, runs
about $9.00/lb.)

Hamilcar Barca > wrote:
>In article > (Sun, 30 May 2004
>21:31:45 +0000), Blair P. Houghton wrote:
>
>> I did a little shopping online at SpecialTeas.Com today:
>>
>> [...]
>> Sungma FTGFOP-1 Second Flush 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $2.00
>
>Is that 2004 Sungma? I had a 2 oz. sample last year and thought it was
>very good. (I'm reduced to Lipton Connoisseur which, fortunately, runs
>about $9.00/lb.)
>

Hard to tell. Here's the page:

http://www.specialteas.com/cgi-bin/S...e+bqxm5634+143

It says "compared to last year's," but of course, that page could have been
installed last year.

It also says "second flush", and, if I'm not mistaken,
this part of May would be an "in-between" and not a
"second flush", or at least so near the beginning of the
second flush that it would be unlikely they've got any to
market here yet.

I added that one to the list specifically because it was
a second flush, because I kind of wanted to see if it
could be distinguished. Although now it occurs I wish
I'd got both a first and a second from a single estate.
Maybe in a couple of months.

--Blair
"If I haven't turned a deep amber myself..."

Hamilcar Barca > wrote:
>In article > (Sun, 30 May 2004
>21:31:45 +0000), Blair P. Houghton wrote:
>
>> I did a little shopping online at SpecialTeas.Com today:
>>
>> [...]
>> Sungma FTGFOP-1 Second Flush 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $2.00
>
>Is that 2004 Sungma? I had a 2 oz. sample last year and thought it was
>very good. (I'm reduced to Lipton Connoisseur which, fortunately, runs
>about $9.00/lb.)
>

Hard to tell. Here's the page:

http://www.specialteas.com/cgi-bin/S...e+bqxm5634+143

It says "compared to last year's," but of course, that page could have been
installed last year.

It also says "second flush", and, if I'm not mistaken,
this part of May would be an "in-between" and not a
"second flush", or at least so near the beginning of the
second flush that it would be unlikely they've got any to
market here yet.

I added that one to the list specifically because it was
a second flush, because I kind of wanted to see if it
could be distinguished. Although now it occurs I wish
I'd got both a first and a second from a single estate.
Maybe in a couple of months.

--Blair
"If I haven't turned a deep amber myself..."

Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
>I did a little shopping online at SpecialTeas.Com today:
>
>Almond Tea with Blanched Almonds 1/4 lb. 1 $4.45
>Decaf Darjeeling 1/4 lb. 1 $7.95
>Pu-erh Tuo Cha 1/4 lb. 1 $5.95
>Tsar's Blend 1/4 lb. 1 $6.95
>Tukdah FTGFOP-1 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $2.00
>Goomtee FTGFOP-1S First Flush 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $3.00
>Makaibari FTGFOP-1S First Flush (Organic) 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $2.00
>Sungma FTGFOP-1 Second Flush 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $2.00

Well that was quick. I ordered it Sunday and it was in
my mailbox today.

The whole oreder fit a box about 4x6x9. The teas are in
stiff plastic envelopes. The larger ones are opaque and
black and come with tear-open/zip-closed tops. The smaller
sample-sizes have clear fronts and tear open, but have no
zip-closure. S'okay. I keep a couple of boxes of various
sizes of zip-locs around because a great invention is a
great invention.

Ironically, the one tea that made me kick off the buying
spree, the Makaibari, must have been out of stock, because
they substitued Kenilworth OP and deducted the price of the
Makaibari. Which is okay, I guess, except for the irony.

On pure curiousity, I immediately brewed up a knob of
the Pu-erh tuo-cha. The smell in the bag was, as they
always describe it, "earthy", but they never really do
describe where the earth is from. I can report that I've
smelled that exact smell several times. It's horse-farm.
Well-kept horse farm. Quite a nice thing to smell if
you miss horse farms. And authentic enough that it makes
you wonder if you aren't being had by the great pu-erh
practiacl joke team. But I've read the flavor doesn't
follow the aroma, and I've had Durian so I understand how
that works.

One knob went into 6 oz water poured from a boiling vessel
into a small pot. The knob pretty much discorporates
within the first minute. 6 minutes after that, I decanted
through a strainer. It didn't look so much like tea
as coffee. Espresso with no crema.

And the flavor is kind of flat. Like a tea with little
sweetness and no astringency. A little of the earthiness
comes through on the edges, and the aroma is still there
with every sip. But it's not unpleasant. Rather the same
sort of result as the first time you have a non-skunky stout.

I'm not sure how this will grow on me. Seems a bit bland,
almost, except for the scent, which isn't its greatest
quality. I just threw a couple of pinches of sugar in the
last half of the cuppa, and it laughed. Might be a good
tea for cleaning up cloyingly sweet things that come into
my responsibility.

I hope the rest of the teas are okay (you couldn't kill
the pu-erh with a nuclear weapon, I don't think); it got to
about 108 today, and the inside of the mailbox was probably
near 140, and the box was in there for at least an hour,
possibly three. That kind of heat is too low to make tea
efficiently, so hopefully it didn't bloom the oils out of
the leaves too much.

--Blair
"Life ain't no fun without they
ain't no unknown variables."

P.S. Maybe it isn't Horse Farm. I keep getting the
Madeleine effect with an Elephant House at the fore.
Maybe it's a general Zoo aroma. Coddled herbivores
in close spaces.

Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
>I did a little shopping online at SpecialTeas.Com today:
>
>Almond Tea with Blanched Almonds 1/4 lb. 1 $4.45
>Decaf Darjeeling 1/4 lb. 1 $7.95
>Pu-erh Tuo Cha 1/4 lb. 1 $5.95
>Tsar's Blend 1/4 lb. 1 $6.95
>Tukdah FTGFOP-1 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $2.00
>Goomtee FTGFOP-1S First Flush 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $3.00
>Makaibari FTGFOP-1S First Flush (Organic) 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $2.00
>Sungma FTGFOP-1 Second Flush 1/2 oz. Sample 1 $2.00

Well that was quick. I ordered it Sunday and it was in
my mailbox today.

The whole oreder fit a box about 4x6x9. The teas are in
stiff plastic envelopes. The larger ones are opaque and
black and come with tear-open/zip-closed tops. The smaller
sample-sizes have clear fronts and tear open, but have no
zip-closure. S'okay. I keep a couple of boxes of various
sizes of zip-locs around because a great invention is a
great invention.

Ironically, the one tea that made me kick off the buying
spree, the Makaibari, must have been out of stock, because
they substitued Kenilworth OP and deducted the price of the
Makaibari. Which is okay, I guess, except for the irony.

On pure curiousity, I immediately brewed up a knob of
the Pu-erh tuo-cha. The smell in the bag was, as they
always describe it, "earthy", but they never really do
describe where the earth is from. I can report that I've
smelled that exact smell several times. It's horse-farm.
Well-kept horse farm. Quite a nice thing to smell if
you miss horse farms. And authentic enough that it makes
you wonder if you aren't being had by the great pu-erh
practiacl joke team. But I've read the flavor doesn't
follow the aroma, and I've had Durian so I understand how
that works.

One knob went into 6 oz water poured from a boiling vessel
into a small pot. The knob pretty much discorporates
within the first minute. 6 minutes after that, I decanted
through a strainer. It didn't look so much like tea
as coffee. Espresso with no crema.

And the flavor is kind of flat. Like a tea with little
sweetness and no astringency. A little of the earthiness
comes through on the edges, and the aroma is still there
with every sip. But it's not unpleasant. Rather the same
sort of result as the first time you have a non-skunky stout.

I'm not sure how this will grow on me. Seems a bit bland,
almost, except for the scent, which isn't its greatest
quality. I just threw a couple of pinches of sugar in the
last half of the cuppa, and it laughed. Might be a good
tea for cleaning up cloyingly sweet things that come into
my responsibility.

I hope the rest of the teas are okay (you couldn't kill
the pu-erh with a nuclear weapon, I don't think); it got to
about 108 today, and the inside of the mailbox was probably
near 140, and the box was in there for at least an hour,
possibly three. That kind of heat is too low to make tea
efficiently, so hopefully it didn't bloom the oils out of
the leaves too much.

--Blair
"Life ain't no fun without they
ain't no unknown variables."

P.S. Maybe it isn't Horse Farm. I keep getting the
Madeleine effect with an Elephant House at the fore.
Maybe it's a general Zoo aroma. Coddled herbivores
in close spaces.

Blair P. Houghton rose and spake the following:

> On pure curiousity, I immediately brewed up a knob of
> the Pu-erh tuo-cha. The smell in the bag was, as they
> always describe it, "earthy", but they never really do
> describe where the earth is from. I can report that I've
> smelled that exact smell several times. It's horse-farm.
> Well-kept horse farm. Quite a nice thing to smell if
> you miss horse farms.

Been there. Mucked that. And totally agree. The aroma of Pu-erh reminds me
of the thoroughbred horse farms I worked on while in college.

And it's not a happy memory.

--
Derek

If I'm "crippled by a lack of ethics", can I draw disability?

Blair P. Houghton rose and spake the following:

> On pure curiousity, I immediately brewed up a knob of
> the Pu-erh tuo-cha. The smell in the bag was, as they
> always describe it, "earthy", but they never really do
> describe where the earth is from. I can report that I've
> smelled that exact smell several times. It's horse-farm.
> Well-kept horse farm. Quite a nice thing to smell if
> you miss horse farms.

Been there. Mucked that. And totally agree. The aroma of Pu-erh reminds me
of the thoroughbred horse farms I worked on while in college.

And it's not a happy memory.

--
Derek

If I'm "crippled by a lack of ethics", can I draw disability?

In article > (Fri, 04 Jun 2004
02:21:45 +0000), Blair P. Houghton wrote:

> Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
>>I did a little shopping online at SpecialTeas.Com today:
>>
>>[list of teas]
>
> Well that was quick.

Please don't post any more lists of yummy teas. They're causing some of
us hardship, as we feel compelled to order some for ourselves!

> I ordered it Sunday and it was in my mailbox today.

That's standard for Special Teas. I decided to try Upton, for the first
time.


> the Makaibari, must have been out of stock, because
> they substitued Kenilworth OP and deducted the price of the
> Makaibari.

You ordered a Darjeeling and they sent a Ceylon?

In article > (Fri, 04 Jun 2004
02:21:45 +0000), Blair P. Houghton wrote:

> Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
>>I did a little shopping online at SpecialTeas.Com today:
>>
>>[list of teas]
>
> Well that was quick.

Please don't post any more lists of yummy teas. They're causing some of
us hardship, as we feel compelled to order some for ourselves!

> I ordered it Sunday and it was in my mailbox today.

That's standard for Special Teas. I decided to try Upton, for the first
time.


> the Makaibari, must have been out of stock, because
> they substitued Kenilworth OP and deducted the price of the
> Makaibari.

You ordered a Darjeeling and they sent a Ceylon?

"Blair P. Houghton" > wrote in message
.. .
> On pure curiousity, I immediately brewed up a knob of
> the Pu-erh tuo-cha. The smell in the bag was, as they
> always describe it, "earthy", but they never really do
> describe where the earth is from. I can report that I've
> smelled that exact smell several times. It's horse-farm.
> Well-kept horse farm. Quite a nice thing to smell if
> you miss horse farms. And authentic enough that it makes
> you wonder if you aren't being had by the great pu-erh
> practiacl joke team. But I've read the flavor doesn't
> follow the aroma, and I've had Durian so I understand how
> that works.

The first pu-erh I had was from specialteas. I like it though I wouldn't
buy it again. It seems to be made from pu-erh dust and maybe some good,
clean earth for good measure. It's different from any other pu-erh I've had
since.

The most annoying thing is trying to strain it, it ends up more like
espresso grounds than leaves. It's not a bad tea, and I would certainly
drink it if it was offered, though I wouldn't buy it again.

-ben

"Blair P. Houghton" > wrote in message
.. .
> On pure curiousity, I immediately brewed up a knob of
> the Pu-erh tuo-cha. The smell in the bag was, as they
> always describe it, "earthy", but they never really do
> describe where the earth is from. I can report that I've
> smelled that exact smell several times. It's horse-farm.
> Well-kept horse farm. Quite a nice thing to smell if
> you miss horse farms. And authentic enough that it makes
> you wonder if you aren't being had by the great pu-erh
> practiacl joke team. But I've read the flavor doesn't
> follow the aroma, and I've had Durian so I understand how
> that works.

The first pu-erh I had was from specialteas. I like it though I wouldn't
buy it again. It seems to be made from pu-erh dust and maybe some good,
clean earth for good measure. It's different from any other pu-erh I've had
since.

The most annoying thing is trying to strain it, it ends up more like
espresso grounds than leaves. It's not a bad tea, and I would certainly
drink it if it was offered, though I wouldn't buy it again.

-ben

Hamilcar Barca > wrote:
>In article > (Fri, 04 Jun 2004
>02:21:45 +0000), Blair P. Houghton wrote:
>> Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
>>>I did a little shopping online at SpecialTeas.Com today:
>>>
>>>[list of teas]
>>
>> Well that was quick.
>
>Please don't post any more lists of yummy teas. They're causing some of
>us hardship, as we feel compelled to order some for ourselves!

Sir. Put down the Internet and walk away.

>> I ordered it Sunday and it was in my mailbox today.
>
>That's standard for Special Teas. I decided to try Upton, for the first
>time.

And what happened?

>> the Makaibari, must have been out of stock, because
>> they substitued Kenilworth OP and deducted the price of the
>> Makaibari.
>
>You ordered a Darjeeling and they sent a Ceylon?

I guess. It's free, as they didn't charge anything
for the replacement; they could have just said "out of
stock" and deleted the price and done nothing to make up.
I like their idea better.

The website still has the Maikabari listed, so maybe they
just didn't have the $2 sample sizes. I've got lots of tea
to try, or I'd call them and see what the deal with it is.

--Blair
"Step *away* from the interaction."

Hamilcar Barca > wrote:
>In article > (Fri, 04 Jun 2004
>02:21:45 +0000), Blair P. Houghton wrote:
>> Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
>>>I did a little shopping online at SpecialTeas.Com today:
>>>
>>>[list of teas]
>>
>> Well that was quick.
>
>Please don't post any more lists of yummy teas. They're causing some of
>us hardship, as we feel compelled to order some for ourselves!

Sir. Put down the Internet and walk away.

>> I ordered it Sunday and it was in my mailbox today.
>
>That's standard for Special Teas. I decided to try Upton, for the first
>time.

And what happened?

>> the Makaibari, must have been out of stock, because
>> they substitued Kenilworth OP and deducted the price of the
>> Makaibari.
>
>You ordered a Darjeeling and they sent a Ceylon?

I guess. It's free, as they didn't charge anything
for the replacement; they could have just said "out of
stock" and deleted the price and done nothing to make up.
I like their idea better.

The website still has the Maikabari listed, so maybe they
just didn't have the $2 sample sizes. I've got lots of tea
to try, or I'd call them and see what the deal with it is.

--Blair
"Step *away* from the interaction."

In article > (Fri, 04 Jun 2004
23:52:35 +0000), Blair P. Houghton wrote:

> Hamilcar Barca > wrote:
>>
>>Please don't post any more lists of yummy teas. They're causing some of
>>us hardship, as we feel compelled to order some for ourselves!
>
> Sir. Put down the Internet and walk away.

No way!

>>I decided to try Upton, for the first time.
>
> And what happened?

I placed the order late Wednesday night, and expect to see the package
Monday or perhaps Saturday.

>>You ordered a Darjeeling and they sent a Ceylon?
>
> I guess. It's free, as they didn't charge anything for the replacement;

I missed the part about it being a sample.

> I like their idea better.

Yes, it sounds good.

> I've got lots of tea
> to try, or I'd call them and see what the deal with it is.

Happy brewing.

In article > (Fri, 04 Jun 2004
23:52:35 +0000), Blair P. Houghton wrote:

> Hamilcar Barca > wrote:
>>
>>Please don't post any more lists of yummy teas. They're causing some of
>>us hardship, as we feel compelled to order some for ourselves!
>
> Sir. Put down the Internet and walk away.

No way!

>>I decided to try Upton, for the first time.
>
> And what happened?

I placed the order late Wednesday night, and expect to see the package
Monday or perhaps Saturday.

>>You ordered a Darjeeling and they sent a Ceylon?
>
> I guess. It's free, as they didn't charge anything for the replacement;

I missed the part about it being a sample.

> I like their idea better.

Yes, it sounds good.

> I've got lots of tea
> to try, or I'd call them and see what the deal with it is.

Happy brewing.

In article > (Fri, 04 Jun 2004
23:52:35 +0000), Blair P. Houghton wrote:

[second follow-up]

> Hamilcar Barca > wrote:
>>
>>I decided to try Upton, for the first time.
>
> And what happened?

I ordered late Wednesday night and the package arrived Saturday morning.

I got

Darjeeling: Sungma second-flush DJ-170, SFTGFOP1S
Ceylon: Kenilworth "Wilson Select", OP1
Java: Sperata "high-grown", OP
Kenya: "Golden Kenya", TGFOP

Sungma: I don't really have the words to describe the taste other than to
say it's as good as I remembered. It's tiny leaves and tips and feels
quite fluffy when I measure it. Unfortunately, it costs six or seven
times as much as Lipton Premium but, as a consolation, I can't get Lipton
Premium or Brooke-Bond Supreme in town any more. It's exactly what I
wanted.

What is that DJ-170 anyway?

Kenilworth: It has a "darker" flavor than I'm used to, perhaps with a hint
of chocolate. I think next time I'll order a variety described as lemony
or citrusy. It's not extraordinarily better than the cheap stuff in a box
($6/lb) but, as a consolation again, I can't get the cheap stuff in town
any more, either. I certainly won't have any problem drinking it.

I haven't tried Upton's Kenya or Java yet; having been quite pleased with
Special Tea's varieties in the past, I know I'll like them. Unless
someone wants to hear about it (or them), I won't provide another of these
superficial reviews.

In article > (Fri, 04 Jun 2004
23:52:35 +0000), Blair P. Houghton wrote:

[second follow-up]

> Hamilcar Barca > wrote:
>>
>>I decided to try Upton, for the first time.
>
> And what happened?

I ordered late Wednesday night and the package arrived Saturday morning.

I got

Darjeeling: Sungma second-flush DJ-170, SFTGFOP1S
Ceylon: Kenilworth "Wilson Select", OP1
Java: Sperata "high-grown", OP
Kenya: "Golden Kenya", TGFOP

Sungma: I don't really have the words to describe the taste other than to
say it's as good as I remembered. It's tiny leaves and tips and feels
quite fluffy when I measure it. Unfortunately, it costs six or seven
times as much as Lipton Premium but, as a consolation, I can't get Lipton
Premium or Brooke-Bond Supreme in town any more. It's exactly what I
wanted.

What is that DJ-170 anyway?

Kenilworth: It has a "darker" flavor than I'm used to, perhaps with a hint
of chocolate. I think next time I'll order a variety described as lemony
or citrusy. It's not extraordinarily better than the cheap stuff in a box
($6/lb) but, as a consolation again, I can't get the cheap stuff in town
any more, either. I certainly won't have any problem drinking it.

I haven't tried Upton's Kenya or Java yet; having been quite pleased with
Special Tea's varieties in the past, I know I'll like them. Unless
someone wants to hear about it (or them), I won't provide another of these
superficial reviews.

Hamilcar Barca > wrote:
> Darjeeling: Sungma second-flush DJ-170, SFTGFOP1S
> Ceylon: Kenilworth "Wilson Select", OP1
> Java: Sperata "high-grown", OP
> Kenya: "Golden Kenya", TGFOP
>
>Sungma: I don't really have the words to describe the taste other than to
>say it's as good as I remembered. It's tiny leaves and tips and feels
>quite fluffy when I measure it. Unfortunately, it costs six or seven
>times as much as Lipton Premium but, as a consolation, I can't get Lipton
>Premium or Brooke-Bond Supreme in town any more. It's exactly what I
>wanted.

I just realized the Sungma is the last one of my goodie box that
I haven't tried yet...

>What is that DJ-170 anyway?

No idea. Looking through Upton's catalog (what a mess*)
that sort of number seems to appear only on the Estate
Darjeelings, but not on all of them. They have a whole
separate system of product numbering, so the "DJ" numbers
have to be something else.

* - they have so many teas that they really should either
add more hierarchy or at least widen the list displays so I
could get more of them on the screen to compare them...that
"0-20...21-40" stuff is NEVER the solution to breaking up
lists, especially where number 137, say, could be a better
choice than number 14.

>I haven't tried Upton's Kenya or Java yet; having been quite pleased with
>Special Tea's varieties in the past, I know I'll like them. Unless
>someone wants to hear about it (or them), I won't provide another of these
>superficial reviews.

"Java tea".

Love the irony.

--Blair
"Something about a tippy-flowery
arabica that wants a smirk."

Hamilcar Barca > wrote:
> Darjeeling: Sungma second-flush DJ-170, SFTGFOP1S
> Ceylon: Kenilworth "Wilson Select", OP1
> Java: Sperata "high-grown", OP
> Kenya: "Golden Kenya", TGFOP
>
>Sungma: I don't really have the words to describe the taste other than to
>say it's as good as I remembered. It's tiny leaves and tips and feels
>quite fluffy when I measure it. Unfortunately, it costs six or seven
>times as much as Lipton Premium but, as a consolation, I can't get Lipton
>Premium or Brooke-Bond Supreme in town any more. It's exactly what I
>wanted.

I just realized the Sungma is the last one of my goodie box that
I haven't tried yet...

>What is that DJ-170 anyway?

No idea. Looking through Upton's catalog (what a mess*)
that sort of number seems to appear only on the Estate
Darjeelings, but not on all of them. They have a whole
separate system of product numbering, so the "DJ" numbers
have to be something else.

* - they have so many teas that they really should either
add more hierarchy or at least widen the list displays so I
could get more of them on the screen to compare them...that
"0-20...21-40" stuff is NEVER the solution to breaking up
lists, especially where number 137, say, could be a better
choice than number 14.

>I haven't tried Upton's Kenya or Java yet; having been quite pleased with
>Special Tea's varieties in the past, I know I'll like them. Unless
>someone wants to hear about it (or them), I won't provide another of these
>superficial reviews.

"Java tea".

Love the irony.

--Blair
"Something about a tippy-flowery
arabica that wants a smirk."

"Blair P. Houghton" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> >What is that DJ-170 anyway?

It's the invoice number. Meaning that teas with the same invoice number was
picked at the same time at the same area of the tea garden, and usually sold
together at an auction. So two first flush SFTGFOP's from the same garden
can be rather different.

>> * - they have so many teas that they really should either
> add more hierarchy or at least widen the list displays so I
> could get more of them on the screen to compare them...that
> "0-20...21-40" stuff is NEVER the solution to breaking up
> lists, especially where number 137, say, could be a better
> choice than number 14.

They do give you the option to sort the teas by price etc, and also to have
wider breaks. But I agree that they could arrange their online catalogue a
little less messy.

Lars
(Bergen,Norway)

"Blair P. Houghton" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> >What is that DJ-170 anyway?

It's the invoice number. Meaning that teas with the same invoice number was
picked at the same time at the same area of the tea garden, and usually sold
together at an auction. So two first flush SFTGFOP's from the same garden
can be rather different.

>> * - they have so many teas that they really should either
> add more hierarchy or at least widen the list displays so I
> could get more of them on the screen to compare them...that
> "0-20...21-40" stuff is NEVER the solution to breaking up
> lists, especially where number 137, say, could be a better
> choice than number 14.

They do give you the option to sort the teas by price etc, and also to have
wider breaks. But I agree that they could arrange their online catalogue a
little less messy.

Lars
(Bergen,Norway)

In article > (Tue, 08 Jun 2004
21:22:17 +0000), Lars I. Mehlum wrote:

>
> "Blair P. Houghton" > wrote in message
> .. .
>>
>> >What is that DJ-170 anyway?
>
> It's the invoice number. Meaning that teas with the same invoice number was
> picked at the same time at the same area of the tea garden, and usually sold
> together at an auction.

Hey, thanks. Are the EX-### codes also invoice numbers? As Blair
Houghton points out, some of the Darjeelings have DJ- numbers, some have
EX- numbers, and don't have either.

> So two first flush SFTGFOP's from the same garden
> can be rather different.

I assume you mean two from different invoices?

>> [Upton web-site listings]
>
> They do give you the option to sort the teas by price etc, and also to
> have wider breaks.

I saw the wider breaks but I'd also like have have choices such as 50/page
and everything-at-once.

> But I agree that they could arrange their online
> catalogue a little less messy.

It's not bad as online catalogs go but it could use improvement. It won't
give me any pause in ordering from them again.

In article > (Tue, 08 Jun 2004
21:22:17 +0000), Lars I. Mehlum wrote:

>
> "Blair P. Houghton" > wrote in message
> .. .
>>
>> >What is that DJ-170 anyway?
>
> It's the invoice number. Meaning that teas with the same invoice number was
> picked at the same time at the same area of the tea garden, and usually sold
> together at an auction.

Hey, thanks. Are the EX-### codes also invoice numbers? As Blair
Houghton points out, some of the Darjeelings have DJ- numbers, some have
EX- numbers, and don't have either.

> So two first flush SFTGFOP's from the same garden
> can be rather different.

I assume you mean two from different invoices?

>> [Upton web-site listings]
>
> They do give you the option to sort the teas by price etc, and also to
> have wider breaks.

I saw the wider breaks but I'd also like have have choices such as 50/page
and everything-at-once.

> But I agree that they could arrange their online
> catalogue a little less messy.

It's not bad as online catalogs go but it could use improvement. It won't
give me any pause in ordering from them again.

"Hamilcar Barca" > wrote in message
...
>
> Hey, thanks. Are the EX-### codes also invoice numbers? As Blair
> Houghton points out, some of the Darjeelings have DJ- numbers, some have
> EX- numbers, and don't have either.

I'm not sure, I wonder if it has something to do at which auction it is
sold? Anyway, I'm going to visit Darjeeling and some tea gardens in a weeks
time, so I will find out! Those without numbers might be blends, or just
that the vendor (or broker) didn't bother to inform the customer about it.

> > So two first flush SFTGFOP's from the same garden
> > can be rather different.
>
> I assume you mean two from different invoices?

Exactly. Two different invoices can have rather different character.

Lars
(Bergen, Norway)

"Hamilcar Barca" > wrote in message
...
>
> Hey, thanks. Are the EX-### codes also invoice numbers? As Blair
> Houghton points out, some of the Darjeelings have DJ- numbers, some have
> EX- numbers, and don't have either.

I'm not sure, I wonder if it has something to do at which auction it is
sold? Anyway, I'm going to visit Darjeeling and some tea gardens in a weeks
time, so I will find out! Those without numbers might be blends, or just
that the vendor (or broker) didn't bother to inform the customer about it.

> > So two first flush SFTGFOP's from the same garden
> > can be rather different.
>
> I assume you mean two from different invoices?

Exactly. Two different invoices can have rather different character.

Lars
(Bergen, Norway)

>
>"Hamilcar Barca" > wrote in message
. ..
>>
>> Hey, thanks. Are the EX-### codes also invoice numbers? As Blair
>> Houghton points out, some of the Darjeelings have DJ- numbers, some have
>> EX- numbers, and don't have either.
>
>I'm not sure, I wonder if it has something to do at which auction it is
>sold? Anyway, I'm going to visit Darjeeling and some tea gardens in a weeks
>time, so I will find out! Those without numbers might be blends, or just
>that the vendor (or broker) didn't bother to inform the customer about it.
>

Well, I did ask about about the invoice numbers. It seems that gardens
can choose whatever numbering system they want, but it is usual to
precede the number with DJ and a a number. The numbering is usually
serial, so DJ-1 is the first tea produced and sold that year, DJ-4 the
fourth batch etc. DJ-1 fetches fantastic prices in Japan, but is
usually notamong the best first flush invoices. They usually comes a
few weeks later.

Some special productions get differenttypes of invoice numbers, EX-..
probably means a production espescially meant for export. Some
importers pre-order teas, and this may be one such tea.

Sometimes they do funny things with the classification too, at the
moment I am drinking a Sungma YMTGFOP1! YM means it comes from a
special section of the Sungma estate, called Yamadabari (bari =
garden).

Lars
(Bergen, Norway)

>
>"Hamilcar Barca" > wrote in message
. ..
>>
>> Hey, thanks. Are the EX-### codes also invoice numbers? As Blair
>> Houghton points out, some of the Darjeelings have DJ- numbers, some have
>> EX- numbers, and don't have either.
>
>I'm not sure, I wonder if it has something to do at which auction it is
>sold? Anyway, I'm going to visit Darjeeling and some tea gardens in a weeks
>time, so I will find out! Those without numbers might be blends, or just
>that the vendor (or broker) didn't bother to inform the customer about it.
>

Well, I did ask about about the invoice numbers. It seems that gardens
can choose whatever numbering system they want, but it is usual to
precede the number with DJ and a a number. The numbering is usually
serial, so DJ-1 is the first tea produced and sold that year, DJ-4 the
fourth batch etc. DJ-1 fetches fantastic prices in Japan, but is
usually notamong the best first flush invoices. They usually comes a
few weeks later.

Some special productions get differenttypes of invoice numbers, EX-..
probably means a production espescially meant for export. Some
importers pre-order teas, and this may be one such tea.

Sometimes they do funny things with the classification too, at the
moment I am drinking a Sungma YMTGFOP1! YM means it comes from a
special section of the Sungma estate, called Yamadabari (bari =
garden).

Lars
(Bergen, Norway)