# Recommend a tea?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tea/473399>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 19, 2008, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tea/473399 "2008-11-19T02:04:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tea/473399/21 "2008-11-19T18:20:34Z")

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> [@Alan\_Smithee](#):
>
> Looking at the sampler you picked, I’m very sure those are all orthodox leaves. I don’t think that site would sell anything else. The only one that conceivably could be CTC is the 217 Assam Bargang TGBOP, which looks to be one of their entry-level Assams, but I’m sure it’s just broken-leaf orthodox tea, not crushed.

Thanks. Does that sampler look like a reasonable place to start?

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**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tea/473399/22 "2008-11-19T18:43:49Z")

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I suppose I should have said “make sure it’s not CTC if you want whole leaf”. There’s a lot of inconsistency in tea labeling by distributors. And it’s not like CTC is so bad - a good blend can be very enjoyable. It’s just something to watch for if it’s not what you want.

I have a feeling you’ll like the Assam tea sampler. If you don’t like green tea, you might not like Oolong either (it’s green tea that didn’t make it to being black).

If I’d remembered I would have recommended Golden Monkey (a Chinese tea) but it has some smokiness to it and I see you don’t like smoky flavors.

I’ll also throw in a plug for one of my favorite shops - [Tea Fountain](http://www.teafountain.com/). They have some interesting flavored blends (like Monk’s Garden, which has green tea, black tea, jasmine and vanilla).

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**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tea/473399/23 "2008-11-19T19:23:30Z")

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> [@panamajack](#):
>
> I’ll also throw in a plug for one of my favorite shops - [Tea Fountain](http://www.teafountain.com/). They have some interesting flavored blends (like Monk’s Garden, which has green tea, black tea, jasmine and vanilla).

Cool, thanks. And thanks for the additional pointers.

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