Tea Drinkers - What Online Stores Do You Use?

[irishearl]

I smoke mostly Syrian Latakia English tobaccos, and find the Baker Street Afternoon Blend, which is a blend of Lapsang Souchong, Keemun and Darjeeling, from Upton Tea Imports, is just the right complement.

While I love latakia, do not like smoky teas. So, never could get into any blend with lapsang souchong.

 

[smokiespipesmoker123]

Oliver Pluff in Charleston SC. They make a blend called Colonial Bohea. I buy it by the pound

 

[subsalac]

Subsalac, as to your comment about the quality of tea in tea bags vs. loose leaf, there is truth to that. I've been a fan of tea for about 20 years, generally only drinking loose leaf. Prior to trying loose leaf, had only had tea bags which led me to believe I didn't like tea. I think of the difference in taste in terms of coffee; that is, to me, tea bag tea is like instant coffee, while quality loose leaf is like whole bean, fresh roasted coffee. Having said that, there have been exceptions. Tried Yorkshire Gold in bags and thought it was quite good.

Hopefully I didn't come off as a snob-- I drink teabags myself, sometimes you just want a teabag. There's no better tea for sweetened milk tea because it has to be ground up strong black tea, which is tea bag tea. But I'm a realist and after having tried the "Esoterica" or <insert your favorite snobbishly expensive and sought after pipetobacco/cigar>, I simply have to admit the truth-- there's a world of tea out there that westerns are generally not exposed to that makes teabags look like 1Q. And 1Q is fine! I've smoked 1Q and probably will again, but 1Q is not 10 year aged Stonehaven. Now imagine a world where in Asia, pipe smoking was a niche hobby, but everyone only smoked Super Value Whiskey(again it's impossible to make this analogy and not come off as a snob, I'm not hating on anyone for enjoying Super Value Whiskey! No one should apologize for what they enjoy.) and had no idea of some of the higher quality tobaccos that we all smoke in North America, Europe, etc. That's the world we live in, in the west, with regards to tea.