Darjeeling best before

Hi!

If it's a closed, even sealed box and you keep the tea at a dry, cool, odour-free place (so better don't keep it in your kitchen), it shouldn't be a problem. Tea, properly stored, keeps fresh for a long period, because it doesnt't contain oils (like coffee does) which could become rancid. This could happen to flavoured tea, of course (e.g. real Earl Grey, flavoured with natural bergamotte oil), because the aetheric oils can become rancid though. So, this is the reason, why some tea brands use flavourings. But pure tea is no problem.

Dieter

Most commercial teas I've seen will give an ending date of one year from packaging. This is a way to tell how old it is on the store shelf. I have commercial teas with ending dates several years old which are stored in a cool,dry,dark basement. Most of the discount teas you see are past expiration date. I'll purchase if not more than one year past expiration. One test if you can smell the tea it is probably stale.

Jim

Space snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com1/28/04

13: snipped-for-privacy@ix.netcom.com

Jim, I suspect that *wasn't* a typo, but wouldn't staleness be indicated by the fact that you *can't* smell the tea? Or do you mean that it got moist and admitted some of its aroma, signaling badness?

I found a Darjeeling on an Indian grocery store shelf recently dated from the early 90's -- ten years ago. Think it's stale? I'd say pass it by. Wasn't even discounted.

I guess I'm a little more conservative and, going with the commonly held belief that teas loose their savor slowly but constantly, would probably pass up a tea over a year old. But, then many vendors are offering their

2002 winters and springs even now. So, who's to know.

Michael

Michael

flush.

before

In speciality shops over here they sell teas labeled as Darjeeling This Year's First Flush through the summer and autumn at a very high price. The rest of the year they sell a Darjeeling First Flush specified as *not* being this year's (but they don't specify whether it's one year old or more). This tea is clearly stale, which you can clearly see from what is usually green leaves having turned much darker. To be fair, this tea is sold at a much lower price, but it's really not worth the cost at all.

Jon

You're right it wasn't a typo. Stale tea will still produce an aroma however faint. If you can smell any aroma from packaging it has been exposed to the elements. It is more noticeable if you shake the package to expose the subsurface tea. My idea of freshness is expiration date and sealed packaging. The British and Arabic labels are the best and Indian and Russian labels are the worse as a general rule of thumb. I don't have problems buying commercial tea and storing as I suggested. I've got good sealed commercial tins approaching five years old. I can never be certain they will taste like new but some are my favorites and I know the taste. As I said before everyone should have a stash of bunker tea. I'm always prepared for a tea trade war.

Jim