The most recent box that I purchased (at Wal-Mart) was in the words of my SO "not very nice". I agree. It's the only tea I can buy in the supermarket in the U.S. that I think tastes decent. But this most recent box may as well be Lipton, it's just not good, does not have that nice aftertaste that I am used to with Tetley.
Did I just get a bad box or has Tetley lowered their quality for the American Market??
Tetley British Blend in the round bags is their premium blend. It is supposedly the same blend that is sold in the UK, but there is slightly less tea per bag (2.5 grams vs 3.125 in the UK) to cater to American tastes. It's just the right amount for brewing a single mug of tea, so it's what I usually drink at work.
Nearly six years ago, Tetley stopped selling its Original Blend, which they'd sold in the US since about 1837, They replaced it with Classic Blend, which is supposed to be the same as the UK blend, after taste tests showed that US consumers preferred it to the Original Blend. How the Classic Blend differs from the British Blend, I do not know, other than the fact that the Classic Blend is in string-and-tag teabags and contains less tea than the British Blend (2 grams vs. 2.5 grams).
If the box you purchased at Wal-Mart is labelled Original Blend, then it is very old and most likely stale. There are still some boxes of it out there on store shelves. I stick with the British Blend and have noticed no difference or decline in quality.
If you live near any Indian grocery stores, you can sometimes find Tetley imported from the UK in the same strength bags (3.125 g) that is sold overseas. You can also find other teas (Brooke Bond, Tea India) that I actually prefer to Tetley, at quite reasonable prices.
It might have been our milk.. :) It was not the best.
I live in the US and was very disappointed in my purchase of Tetley British Blend Decaffeinated. I used four bags to make a cup of tea and it was still very weak. In fact, it didn't taste like tea. Yes, it had round bags. On the box it says "Full Bodied," that is like the phone company having excellent service. In other words, lip service. Some years ago I had their decaf when I went home for a visit to the UK. That was good fresh stuff.
I am happy with Brooke Bond Red Label loose from a local Indian store, and sometimes P.G. Tips bags.
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