how long does an Upton sample last?

I would not leave them just in sample packets- place packets of tea wrapped in aluminum foil/or ziplock type of bag-and place in cool dry area-I simetimes place packets in plastic container- Imperial Tea Court sells cannisters in different sizes-I purchase the $2-2.50 sizes- They have kept my teas fresh-

I tend to buy the samplers, which come in metal cannisters. The samples are find, but sometimes I like to try things twice rather than once.

As for the storage problem, Upton's tins do not work properly, since their lids are loose (more later in the post). However, for a .5-1 oz sampler, you do need small tins, such as Holy Mountain's Mihon Cans (what I use). The sencond smallest can HM sells is just right for 1oz of tea, & I can attest to their tightness and suitibility. There are probably many comparable products availible out there, of course, and a ziplock bag around the sampler envelope might serve to jury-rig it until further arrangements can be made.

However, 1/4 lb tins (like ITC sells) are just too large for Upton's

If left in the envelopes, the tea will fade in days. However, 1/2 oz can last many folks, particularly folks unfamiliar with a kind of tea, weeks if stored properly. Small tins are, therefore, highly useful.

As for the sampler sets, I strongly dislike the Upton's sampler sets, because:

(1) the teas they provide with the samplers are not always representative of the class of tea that they are representing (the Oolong sampler I got incuded a weird Formosa Amber Oolong that no other vendor sells anything like and the only Chinese oolong was a Bai-Hao-style 60% fermented tea that bears no resemblance to Ti Kwan Yin, Shui Xian, or any other "normal" Chinese Oolongs that a sampler ought to acquaint you with).

(2) the teas they provide you with tend to be the lowest grade of that tea they have (the Formosa Champagne Oolong they provided when I ordered a sampler was the "choicest" grade, which lacks most of the great spicy tendancies that one buys Formosa Oolongs for found in Fancy grades. They have since downgraded to "choice" grade).

(3) the tins have loose lids, and let tea go bad (I stored a high grade of Ti Kwan Yin in one of these for three months, after which it tasted no better than wet leaves. A lower grade of Ti Kwan Yin, gotten at the same time, stored in Holy Mountain's "Mihon Can" didn't run out for another month and never went bad.).

I'm also not fond of samplers in general, since in buying samplers one often buys teas that one really doesn't want, because you want the other teas in the sampler (which could've be gotten in sample size cheaper).

My advice: avoid Upton samplers sets, and never buy a sampler that has a single tea in it that you don't want. I would advise against samplers in general, unless they provide a *signifcant* discount or you are just have no idea on earth where to begin.

ZBL

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com (Zephyrus) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:

Amen to several of your points. The size of Upton's sampler cans is way more than needed to just try the tea. One of their sampler envelopes makes several two-cup pots, just about right. Also, as you say, the cans don't seal well. Finally, regardless of the quality of the teas in the samplers, I find I learn more by purchasing several closely related teas that I choose so I can discover if I can tell any differences between qualities and varieties. The samplers are just scattershot. If you don't like a particular tea in a sampler, it is hard to know if it was just that tea or all of the teas in that category that are not to your taste or if you would have liked a tea in that category but at a different quality level.

Debbie

Sally snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com9/13/03

Sally,

The three teas you mention ought to stay "fresh" longer than teas in the green, white, or yellow classes. So, if you're talking a handful of weeks, I think you're pretty safe just leaving them in their packets. I read the other posts on the subject and agree with everybody in general.

On specific teas though, related to storage, there is something to say: First, Pu-erhs usually can be stored a long time to no ill effect. Red teas like Yunnan are not overly finicky about storage time. Keemun, IME, does indeed improve with age.Tie Guan Yin is balled up tight, and that helps it stay fresher longer. I wouldn't sweat it.

Parenthetically, I had gotten a free sample of SpecialTea's Yin Lun White Downy tea and "lost" it at the back of a tea cabinet for months before drinking. It was wonderous scrumptuous. So, who knows.

As far as samples themselves are concerned, I've for the most part been quite satisfied with the "maintainfreshnessness" of SpecialTea's sample packets. About others I cannot say much. I've had samples from Capital and Upton. No complaints.

Michael

I bought a silver (opaque) zip lock bags from either Upton or Special Teas. For greens, I roll the top of the sample pack over a couple of times and seal with a paper clip, then store them in the zip lock bag. I seal the sample packs the same for blacks and oolongs, but store them in a tin. So far I haven't noticed them losing flavor.

Blues

Many thanks to all for the replies! This has been very helpful... sally