tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527142.post116896912904928603..comments2009-01-06T09:35:50.464-08:00Argentiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03847757662873959267noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527142.post-1169171631560992802007-01-18T17:53:00.000-08:002007-01-18T17:53:00.000-08:00You are so right, bad tea can really be bad!! First off, if you do not start off with hand picked tea, you will get machine cut product filled with stems. Tea loaded with stems does not have a clean taste like hand picked. It goes with out saying, the tea made from pure tea buds is much smoother! Second, your ingredients have to be top notch...for example-our Earl Grey is a beautiful hand picked black tea with the real oil of bergamot. The leading competitor uses a tea leaf size called "tea dust". Tea dust is the smallest size tea leaf possible; however, the problem with tea dust is that although it provides quick color into the cup, it has no real tea flavor. It also happens to be an inexpensive tea to purchase. We do not allow any "tea dust" in our mixes. The leading competitor of our Earl Grey also only uses a bergamot flavoring -not the real oil which is very expensive (not to mention much better tasting). So I cannot speak for why other teas are "good" to you except to say they are most likely using good ingredients and a rich tea!<BR/>The same thing does apply to the age of tea; you have to remember that tea is a leaf and will get stale and pick up other flavors, if exposed to them. The reason we take the time to overwrap all our tea bags is because we want to protect our tea leaves from air, light, other flavors, etc. That overwrap protects our tea up to two years from the day it is packed. <BR/>So there really is a difference in teas...thanx for noticing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<BR/><BR/>Cindi Bigelow<BR/>Co-President<BR/>Bigelow TeaCindi Bigelowhttp://www.bigelowteablog.comnoreply@blogger.com