Your Tea needs to be Defragmented!

[JPDyson]

Perhaps I'm spoiled by Steve's high-quality, superbly processed teas, but I find myself very disappointed by what passes for "full leaf" tea. In this particular case, I decided to check out Adagio's Oolong sampler, as well as the tea tasting set (looked like a fun, gaiwan-like tool). I honestly thing the tasting set would be perfectly fine with some good, actually full leaf tea, but it looks like somebody cut open a tea bag and dumped it into a bigger bag, and called it full leaf tea. It tasted fine, but seemed like I was getting a LOT of fragments (not specs, but chunks of leaf) in the cup.

Am I being too picky, or is this inferior tea?

 

[SiBurning]

I wasn't happy with the quality of tea from Adagio's samplers.

My experience with Indian and African teas is you can't judge the quality of tea solely by how carefully it's picked. But that's a different audience.

Bottom line is I'd rather have a good ripped or cut tea, even fragments, than a plucked full leaf of inferior tea.

 

[craig87c]

I got a sampler of green teas from Adagio a while ago. It wasn't the same quality as the normal tea that they sell. If you like the taste of the sampler, the full-sized tea will probably be better quality.

 

[SiBurning]

Are they made up from old stock? The biggest complaint I have about the samplers (and I bought 6 sample boxes) is they all seemed old.

 

[craig87c]

I'm not sure about the age; it was at least a year ago and I don't remember how it tasted. The actual size of the rolled leaves was different (I think it was Gunpowder tea) when I compared the sampler and the "real" offering.

 

[JPDyson]

Poor form - why the heck would I buy your product if the sample sucks?

 

[JPDyson]

I started re-reading the reviews, and examining the lid fit of this little contraption. It would be served IMMENSELY by a refined lid; it wobbles a decent amount, but if the inner rim of the lid were wider, it would hold it in place and far less tea (leaf) could escape. I wondered if it wasn't just the contraption to blame...

I used this same set with some Da Hong Pao from JAS-eTea, and got no more bits in the cup than if I went straight from the gaiwan with no strainer (that is to say, next to nothing. It's the tea.

 

[craig87c]

Poor form - why the heck would I buy your product if the sample sucks?

I wrote about it on my blog, actually. Someone from Adagio replied and said that the teas in their samplers are the same ones that are in their normal sets. Is it true? I'm not sure. Upton's tea samplers are higher quality for me.

 

[BladeDE40]

I started re-reading the reviews, and examining the lid fit of this little contraption. It would be served IMMENSELY by a refined lid; it wobbles a decent amount, but if the inner rim of the lid were wider, it would hold it in place and far less tea (leaf) could escape. I wondered if it wasn't just the contraption to blame...

I used this same set with some Da Hong Pao from JAS-eTea, and got no more bits in the cup than if I went straight from the gaiwan with no strainer (that is to say, next to nothing. It's the tea.

I was going to ask you about that...I looked at the same set awhile ago, but in reading the reviews it seemed that there were some manufacturing flaws with it so I held off. Its a great price for the set, but would you order it again, or should i just go with a classic gaiwan from Steve?

 

[sid3000]

Ive been shopping with Adagio for a while now and I can tell you the only difference between samples and regulars are obviously the quantity. They don't have a separate bin for each flavour just for samples, what you see and taste is what you will see and taste upon buying more. They use bags for samples now, you shouldve seen a few months ago they had nice air tight containers.

In all honesty though, I regard Adagio as a distributor for "fun" teas. I enjoy their selection of rooibos and several black teas strictly because of the flavour, but they do not have the complexity of Shu/Sheng. They did introduce a series called the "Masters Collection" which I have yet to try, but it claims to be comparable to the high quality Asian teas. Meh.

 

[JPDyson]

...would you order it again, or should i just go with a classic gaiwan from Steve?

Go with the gaiwan - I actually find it just as easy to use, but you have more control over the pour. It doesn't take long to catch on. The tasting set is a little frustrating in an unfixable way due to the lid; the gaiwan might frustrate a little at first, until you figure out a comfortable grip and controlling the pour - but as you learn, it gets easier.

Plus, you know, you can order some really nice tea while you're there...

 

[netsurfr]

Perhaps I'm spoiled by Steve's high-quality, superbly processed teas, but I find myself very disappointed by what passes for "full leaf" tea. In this particular case, I decided to check out Adagio's Oolong sampler, as well as the tea tasting set (looked like a fun, gaiwan-like tool). I honestly thing the tasting set would be perfectly fine with some good, actually full leaf tea, but it looks like somebody cut open a tea bag and dumped it into a bigger bag, and called it full leaf tea. It tasted fine, but seemed like I was getting a LOT of fragments (not specs, but chunks of leaf) in the cup.

Am I being too picky, or is this inferior tea?

Thanks for the compliments, Josh!

 

[JPDyson]

Upon further consideration, this just isn't a gong-fu caliber tea. It's actually just fine and dandy, relegated to my Breville for the morning brew. I'm far less picky as that goes - the basket has a reasonably fine mesh, so smaller bits are handled well. I also only aim for two infusions at more western ratios, so a tea that dies somewhat quickly is OK. Anyway, I enjoyed my "breakfast cup" this morning, and the second cup on the ride to work. I'll have some cold and report back, but it looks like it's just not "top shelf" tea, but decent daily drinker tea.

Hope I didn't turn anybody off with the snap judgement. It's a cut above tea bags to be sure, and the tea actually tastes really nice (Formosa Oolong so far).