India source of Assam like Teaspring for China teas

Im not going to mention my local tea shoppe online website that sells several estates of Assam. What you would notice it looks like just about any other website selling Indian teas ie a good selection and recent vintage. I think other Arabic brands better than Ahmad. Look at previous posts on Arabic terms like Barooti and Kalami. Ive developed more of an appreciation for Assam because it might be older than Chinese teas. I say that because the Himalayas rose from a sea floor and the Indian monsoons more tropical than China for the tree. You see remnants of the tree being harvested in China today. The history of tea is Chinese but I think prehistory Indian. In an Indian store the keyword is Mamri. That is the Assam used to make chai. I consider that taste just as swarthy as anything from Yunnan.

Jim

Some of the real top-grade Assams are available at Uptons, actually, and pretty reasonably. I have been pleased with them.

If you're looking for a cheap assam from middle-eastern markets, try the Sharzad or Gulabi brands... I think both are a cut above the Ahmad for the same price.

--scott

There is a place called Sunjaya Tea in Atlanta Georgia that seems to be very reasonably priced and sells many of the finer estates. My fave is Mangalam but I got my current batch of Mangalam from a place called Spirit of the Lotus Tea House in Hagerstown, Maryland who are reasonably priced and they have a diverse offering of Assams. Anyhow, the place in ATL was highly recommended by several colleagues who get all their tea from there as they work in our corporate offices there. Hope that helps a little!

Mike

Snip

I can't seem to find a link about this tea shop; do you have a link? Thanks, Gregory

Found some "shahrzad" kalami today, and am drinking some now. The box doesn't say Assam, just pure Indian kalami. I'm not sure this is the same tea you were talking about, as it seems a little more musty tasting. I'm not sure if age contributes to this taste. That is the one thing going for the Ahmad Assam : it has a date of packaging on the n bottom. Gregory

Arabic stores sell short leaf assam called barooti and long leaf called kalami. Ive never been able to verify it but I thinks these terms also means some sort of Islam religious standard like kosher. Ive had oily kalami in wax paper with all Arabic scroll that reminds me of the muskiest wet stored large leaf sheng Puer Ive ever tasted.

Expiration dates is money in your pocket. Look at the date of this Sencha from a Spanish company:

Consume the same month as packaged. That is fresh. Mister Business Man I notice it is February and the tea is already a month old. Can I have it for 50% off.

Jim

I thought you would notice the Spanish company ;-). This is the only sencha I have from a non Asian company. Being a commercial sencha its a little larger leaf than most. It has a good dry and wet aroma. The aftertaste a little harsh. Could taste better if more care in brewing because of the Japanese kill green steaming. It does produce a cloudy looking brew which I find nutritious. The tin is airtight with an pull tab inner tin seal. I think there must have been a big mixup on the expiration date. I got mine early spring 2009 for $2 tin. OMG its expired before it even made it to the shelves.

Jim

...

That's it. And indeed it may not be fresh, which is the problem with buying like this.

--scott