"Loose tea - why not teabags? No name brands?"
Many people are shocked the first time that they try loose-leaf tea. "I had no idea that tea could taste this good!" is often one of the first comments that we get from a new customer. Since Americans are generally familiar only with teabags and instant tea, the initial experience with fine tea can be astonishing.
Most teabags that are available in your local supermarket or specialty food store are filled with finely ground tea leaves that are aptly termed "dust." Pre-packaged months in advance, teabags can sometimes be quite stale even before they reach the shelf. Thus, the inferior, stale leaves of tea in teabags infuse to create a strong, harsh cup that is generally tolerable only with milk and sugar. Even tins of seemingly high-quality loose tea are often as old and tasteless as teabags by the time they reach the consumer shelves.
Those who are seeking the ultimate enjoyment from tea will invariably use only the finest loose leaves. Tea is an annual crop, and the best grades come from rather specific plucking periods. Different growing regions achieve their best crops at varying times throughout the year. The Darjeeling district of India, for example, has three "vintage" pluckings -- the first flush in late March, the second flush from April to May, and the autumnal picking from October to early December. You should find a reputable dealer whom you can trust to ensure that you are getting the best products available.