Is SpecialTeas putting us on?
 

I just got email from SpecialTeas touting this year's First Flush as a
good one.

Viz, "SpecialTeas has a limited first shipment of the finest First
Flush Darjeeling in years. Puttabong First-Flush Darjeeling FTGFOP1
(#105)".

Then they explain something not unexpected, that they only have 40
pounds to sell.

The email also has a few other Darjeelings.

So which way did the season go? The dryness has evidently limited
supply, but they're saying it improved quality. Is that possible? Has
something else caused this one tea to exceed every other they've
retailed "in years"? Or are they putting a happy face on it because
they're in dire straits because of the lack of supply?

--Blair

Is SpecialTeas putting us on?
 

Hi,
on the tea´s page it says:"one of the best first flushes we have
cupped THIS year" and IMHO that really doesn´t mean too much.
Puttabong TE lies along the Rangit river close to the Sikkimese border
and has a few irrigated areas, so maybe those 40 pounds come from
irrgated plants. I posted a few lines on invoice #15 a couples weeks
ago, and while my vendor liked it a lot I didn´t think it was worth
the price he asked for.

> The dryness has evidently limited supply, but they're saying it improved quality.
> Is that possible?

Everything is possible but the better part of this years FF has
definetely suffered more than benefited from the lack of rain.
Hey, 25 bucks for 1/4 pound, sounds like a steal.
I guess they put us on with that one, and would go for a sample if at
all.

Karsten
(looking forward to another cup of 2005 Thurbo FF that IMO tastes
still a lot better than most of this years FFs I was able to sample)

Is SpecialTeas putting us on?
 

Just been browsing a couple german tea sites for "Flugtees" (flown-in
2006 FFs). While there´s some selection now and the average prices
considerably lower than 25 bucks/quarter pound (mostly around 10
Euro/12 Dollars per 100g) some of their descriptions are pretty hard to
digest.
On one of those pages I could find teas (same invoice) I have tried
back in Darjeeling some weeks ago. Take for example the "Barnesbeg
DJ-3", vendors description: "pale yellow, harmonious light cup with
delicate notes of may lilies."
3 weeks ago my moody tea guru and I sampled that tea together with some
Castletons and a Springside (Castleton B).
His comment: he took a sip (shhhhlllrp) and poured the rest over the
balcony.

However, there are some more FFs to discover so I emailed them for
samples and asked if they ship internationally. I´ll report back.

Karsten

Is SpecialTeas putting us on?
 

Karsten wrote:

"(looking forward to another cup of 2005 Thurbo FF that IMO tastes
still a lot better than most of this years FFs I was able to sample)"

I know this is a broad question, but what was the general consensus on
2005 2F?

Is SpecialTeas putting us on?