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Thoughts on Adagio
2007-09-23 03:52:00
I know I've praised Adagio's teas in the past, but lately I'm beginning to wonder if I may have been too kind. Don't get me wrong, I still love Adagio's e-commerce store (one of the best online stores of any kind, period), and their customer service is fantastic, but lately I've been comparing their tea blends to others in my cupboard and finding that I'm just as thrilled with them as I used to be.On deeper reflection, I think Adagio's teas are generally more appealing as novelties than they are as reliably, everyday brews. The first taste is generally fun and exciting and a bit new, but I've found that hardly any of their blends actually make their way into my regular rotations. Grapefruit Black is an excellent example. I ordered a sample tin, really enjoyed the tart, citrusy flavor the first few times and then ordered an 8oz can. Since that's arrived I've had it maybe 2-3 times, and not once has it been an "ahhhhh" kind of moment. The same goes for their Strawberry...
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Jacksons of Piccadilly Earl's Grey - Reviewed
2007-08-18 03:41:00
It's no secret - I love Earl Grey tea. There's something about that delightful blend of smoky - but not too smoky - tea leaves with that cirtusy - but not too citrusy - oil of bergamot essence that just gets my cheeks tingling. The problem is, its darned hard to find a decent Earl Grey blend. To date the most consistently-pleasing and widely-available brand I've found has been Twinings Earl Grey, and that's been my ol' standby for several years running.Recently a friend of mine mentioned that he'd gotten a tin of Jacksons of Piccadilly Earl Grey for his girlfriend, and that she'd gone bonkers over the blend. Sounded interesting. A quick Google search revealed that Jacksons of Piccadilly actually claimed to have invented Earl Grey (or Earl's Grey, as they call it), going so far as to claim that theirs is the only "true blend." So of course, I had to try it.One snag, however. No one seemed to sell it anymore.I checked countless tea shops, online and off, British and American, ...
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Dragon Pearl Oolong Tea - Iron Paradise Organic Ti Kwan Yin
2007-07-29 02:15:00
Years and years ago I became momentarily infatuated with a particular blend of oolong tea, and then - silly me - completely forgot the name and brand. I made a half-hearted search for alternative oolongs, including one or two from Adagio.com, but I never found a blend that matched the warm, unique, malty-goodness of that long-lost tea.That search may now be over.Dragon Pearl doesn't offer 1,001 different flavors of tea like some companies do (ahem, Adagio). They stick with one type of tea leaf (Camellia Sinensis, grown in the Fujian Mountains of southeast China) and process it in different ways to offer five distinct blends - green, jasmine green, black, white and oolong. I was sent (courtesy of the marketing department) good-sized tins of the green, white and oolong, as well as some "baby-dragon" samplers and a cute porcelain steeping cup.The oolong was first on the chopping block, and despite reservations, I decided to brew it with the porcelain cup included in the gift set. I ha...
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Darvilles of Windsor - Earl Grey
2007-07-21 22:44:00
My latest online tea order shipped with some unanticipated freebies - a handful of individual teabags from Darvilles of Windsor . I didn't think much of them at the time, and only just today rifled through them to see what was included. There were two packets each of Earl Grey , English Breakfast, Darjeeling and one called "Royalty" (which I later learned is a special blend produced only by Darvilles of Windsor, apparently by "Royal Appointment" of the British Royal Family, who they've served since 1946).Anyway, it was time for my pre-dinner cuppa and I didn't feel like fussing with loose tea, so I rooted through these packets and brewed up a Darvilles of Windsor Earl Grey. And surprise, surprise - it was quite good! A clean, crisp brew which is neither too smoky nor too scented, but pretty darned close to just right.I've only one more bag left but if the 2nd one comes out as nicely as the first, I may just have to place a proper order for a tin of the loose stuff and give it a pr...
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Jacksons of Piccadilly - Earl Grey Tea
2007-07-19 21:11:00
A friend of mine recently mentioned that he'd gotten his girlfriend addicted to Jacksons of Piccadilly's Earl Grey , and he suggested I give it a go. I searched all over for a vendor who sells the stuff, but it seems like its been either discontinued or embargoed or some such - a few folks used to sell it, but no one has it in stock. The only way I could find to try it was in a Jacksons of Piccadilly sampler pack, which contained only 8 or so tea bags of their Earl Grey blend.I'm not going to do a full-review just yet, but I did try my first brew of the stuff the other morning and it really went down nicely. I'm going to wait until after my 2nd cup to do a full and proper write-up of it.What's interesting to me at the moment is the back-story. Apparently Twinings and Jacksons of Piccadilly have a bit of a spat between them on who "invented" Earl Grey tea:Jacksons of Piccadilly claim that it was they who originated Earl Grey's Tea, Lord Grey having given the recipe to Robert Jac...
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Ocean Spray - Fruited Tea - White Tea with White Cranberry
2007-07-02 03:23:00
Ok, this one I just had to review. If only because its apparently the beverage which doesn't exist. At least in the eyes of Google. I tried:+"Ocean Spray " +"Fruited Tea"Nothing.+"Ocean Spray" +"White Tea with White Cranberry "Nothing.Now, I realize even Google can't find everything, but its rare these days to consume a product, be somewhat enthused about it, and then be able to find absolutely nothing about it online. Maybe its there and Google can't see it. Maybe I've entered the tea-Twilight Zone and this is somehow leading towards my weird, yet ironically fitting punishment for a life of selfishness.Anyway, I just had to snap a photo of the thing to prove that it exists. And hey, I might achieve my very first "Google Whack" just by blogging about the darned thing.This is a "tea" in the same way Sanka is a "coffee". Which is to say, it really isn't, but it kinda sorta has a flavor that can fool you into believing it is. But that's ok, because I actually really enjoyed it. And...
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Adagio - Anteadote Black Iced Tea
2007-07-02 02:59:00
A few days ago I gave Adagio's Jasmine Iced Tea a whirl. It was a really great tea, but one of those blends I just don't see myself drinking all that often. I likened it to a Thai Iced tea... perfect when you're munching down on some spicey Pad Thai, but not necessarily a drink you'd want to have every day. (Incidentally, I gave my fiance a sip of the jasmine and it nearly sent her into a fit of the dry heaves... so, its going to be one of those drinks you probably either love or hate.)With that experience behind me, I was looking forward to drinking Adagio's Black Iced Tea. And, much like the Jasmine tea, I liked it. I liked it a lot, in fact. It was crisp and clean and fresh-tasting, with a nice bite to it and a fairly smoky aftertaste. The little write-up on the bottle describes it as a "smooth peppery taste" and I guess I can see that, but for me the key word is smoky - like a light or somewhat-mixed Lapsang Souchang.But in the end I come to the same conclusion as with the ...
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China Mist - Raspberry Iced Tea
2007-06-28 04:09:00
As I've mentioned before - you have been paying attention, right? - I'm not a huge fan of berry-flavored teas. Particularly not after having had the misfortune of tasting China Mist 's Black Currant (hot) tea, which was perhaps one of the worst tea-experiences I've had this decade. But, I've had some decent brews so far from China Mist's line of iced tea flavors, and raspberry was next on the chopping block, so in I went. Surprisingly, it went quite well. The tea smelled wonderful right out of the box - a sweet, definite raspberry-ish aroma - and thrill of all thrills, the taste translated directly to the finished product. For someone who generally doesn't dig berry teas, the fact that I'm even remotely enthusiastic about this brew should be taken as HIGH PRAISE for this flavor. Of all the China Mist iced teas so far it may well be my favorite. Not perfect, but pretty good in a pinch.And speaking of pinches, I brewed another batch of this stuff with just a bag of loose ...
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Sympatea - The Tea Spoon
2007-06-27 16:15:00
The Chicago Tribune put out an article today briefly summarizing some of the highlights of this year's World Tea Expo. Seems folks are trying to put green tea into anything and everything besides actual green tea - candy bars, energy drinks, gum, you name it. I'm not sure why, its not like drinking green tea is some sort of chore or unpleasant task. But I suppose folks who are used to a dark brew still can't get past the fact that just because their tea is translucent, doesn't mean it won't taste good.The one item that caught my eye was Sympatea's "spoon-tea". They're trying to open up the loose tea market to folks who are just too plumb lazy to deal with loose tea (and yes, I know, I was once one of them). Their innovation - package their "loose tea" inside disposable plastic spoons. You drop the tea-filled spoon into a cup of hot water, mix it about until the brew is done, and then throw away the spoon. No muss, no fuss.I've got a few problems with this.First, doesn't the...
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Adagio - Jasmine Iced Tea
2007-06-27 00:40:00
So far in my ongoing Quest for the Perfect Iced Tea (QPIT), I've had mixed luck at best. China Mist has some decent flavors, but their tea is pretty low grade, leaving a lot of particulate matter in the brew. This results in a slightly thicker, creamier texture to the tea which is a big turn off for me. Still, some of their flavors have been ok.I've long been a fan of Adagio's teas, but up to now have never tried their line of iced tea flavors called "Anteadote". They only offer four - Black Tea, Jasmine Tea, Green Tea and White Tea. These are pre-bottled in 16.9 ounch square containers, so no muss, no fuss. You crack open the cap and you're on your way to tasty iced tea goodness straight away.For my first order I stuck with the Jasmine Tea and the Black Tea. Jasmine was the first one I tried - its also, by a pretty far degree, the best-reviewed iced tea on their site. Its for a 4.5/5 rating, whereas the others are 3.9 or 4.0.Before I get to the taste, I have to mention the fact...

Celestial Seasonings - Fast Lane Tea REVIEWED
2007-06-26 22:32:00
My box of Fast Lane Tea arrived today. I could barely contain my enthusiasm... this was a tea I remembered loving in the late 90s, which was discontinued by Celestial Seas oning s and which I thought I'd never taste again. Miraculously, they brought it back after 7-8 years of petitions and letters from avid fanatics of the tea. Here it was. In my hands.The tea smells like a spice-cake right out of the box; more specifically, like my grandmother's zucchini bread. The taste is similar, though it has undertones and after-aromas of something akin to butterscotch. This is probably what drew me in to this tea to begin with. The mixtured tastes and aromas of zucchini bread and butterscotches immediately bring back fond memories of my grandmother.After seven or eight years without Fast Lane Tea I was curious to see whether my tastes had changed any. And it seems they have. While I enjoyed this cuppa, and I tasted nothing in it that made me think they've changed the recipe at all since thos...

Adagio - Casablanca Twist Green Tea
2007-06-26 20:12:00
After my somewhat harrowing experience with Harney & Son's Peppermint Herbal Tea (it smelled great and tasted awful), I was pretty enthused to try Adagio's Casablanca Twist Green Tea. I bought it for two reasons. First, I really do enjoy a refreshing and soothing mint tea, particularly at night. Second, it was Adagio's highest rated green tea (tied with Apricot at 4.6/5). I played it safe and got the $3 sampler tin.To paraphrase a movie, "We're going to need a bigger tin."This stuff is great! Smells wonderful out of the tin, but most importantly, tastes wonderful in your cup. The peppermint really shines through as the dominant flavor, but its not so overpowering as to be medicinal, as can sometimes be the case. The green tea flavor is muted but still there, and there's just the slightest after-aroma of something earthy which I can't quite place. Altogether its a magnificent blend, one of the best mint teas I've had, hands down.Adagio says the blend is based on Moroccan M...
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Adagio - Strawberry Tea
2007-06-26 19:23:00
Like almost all of Adagio's teas, their Strawberry black tea smells absolutely wonderful straight from the tin. When my latest order from Adagio arrived today, with eight new flavors I've not tried before, I had a hard time deciding which one to try. The one I probably anticipated the least was strawberry. I'm generally not a huge fan of berry-flavored teas - they generally taste either too tart and bitter or too sweet and artificial. But as I was opening the tins and dipping my nose into each one for the traditional sniff-sniff, I really, really loved the aroma of the strawberry tea. So, that was the first one on the brewing block.It also gave me a chance to try out Adagio's tea filters. They're all paper, long and wide, so that you dip the tea in one end and let the long paper top folder over the cup while it brews. The packaging says this allows the tea much more room to circulate and steep, but for me at least, all the tea leaves bunch together at the bottom, forming a tigh...

Tea for two.... decades?
2007-06-25 03:11:00
The Calcultta Telegraph ran a story today on Bhismadeb Sarkar, an 80-year-old bicycle repairman from Katwa, India, who gave up all food 22 years ago and has lived ever since on a diet of nothing more than 18-20 cups of tea a day.But that's not the best part.You might assume he must be one of those ultra devout holy men, cleansing his body for the purification of humanity, or some such. But no. He did it to teach his wife a lesson. You see, good ol' Bhimsadeb liked to have his lunch at 1pm sharp, every day. And one day, twenty two years ago he.... ah heck, let's let Bhimsy tell the story:"One Sunday, my wife served me lunch at 1.30 pm. She knew how particular I was about being served lunch punctually but still she was late. I became so angry that I threw away the plate of rice, fish and vegetables. I decided to stop eating totally."That was in 1985. Twenty-two years later, he still refuses to eat. He brews and drinks between eighteen and twenty cups of tea a day, and claims to be...
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China Mist - Two More Teas Bite the Dust
2007-06-24 15:14:00
I've resolved myself to the idea now that shelling out $10 for China Mist 's Tea Bag Sampler was a mistake. The three teas I'd tried earlier were rather unspectacular, and the trend seems to be continuing in that same general direction. Yesterday I brewed a cup of their Lemon Ginger Green Tea. I'd hoped for a different experience from their black teas, but once again I was less than impressed.The flavoring was actually not bad add all - citrusy with a nice ginger zing - but there was simply no green tea flavor to speak of. None, whatsoever. I might as well have been drinking flavored water. (Perhaps I was). I thought their black teas were weak and uninspiring, but man oh man, this tea took the grand prize. Then came the worst tea yet - Black Currant.Admittedly, black currant isn't necessarily one of my all time favorite flavorings in a tea. So I suppose this one had a bit of a disadvantage coming out of the starting gate. Even still, this cup was virtually undrinkable. I rarely ...
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Tea and pornography don't mix in South Dakota
2007-06-24 04:43:00
Occasionally I Google news stories that have to do with tea, because, well, I suppose I'm a bit off. Anyway, one story popped up with a title that caught my eye:Tea residents want to shut down adult-novelty storeWhat the hell, I asked myself, was a "tea resident"? Well, it turns out "tea" was actually Tea, and it wasn't referring to my favorite beverage, but rather the village of Tea, South Dakota . Apparently an "adult novelty" store opened on the outskirts of Tea, and the town elders decided that simply wouldn't do. (Ironically, the paper which ran the story, the Argus Leader out of Sioux Falls, ran a big color ad for "Annabelle's Adult Super Center" right next to the article...) Anyway, it wasn't much of a story, but it did introduce me to the wonderfully quaint idea that there was actually a town out in the middle of nowhere (apologies to South Dakota ns, but it's true and you know it) named after my drink of choice. Of course I had to find out more. It so happened that at a...
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Not for all the tea in China? Well, actually....
2007-06-24 04:13:00
Pu'er tea is a new one to me, probably because - as the Daily Telegraph wrote today - 500 grams of the stuff can sell in China for as much as $120,000US. And while I may be a tea fanatic, I'm a relatively modest-salaried tea fanatic. Spending upwards of a thousand dollars on a nice hot cuppa seems, to me, a tad extravagant.Granted, most pu'er tea sells for significantly less than that; perhaps $35-$40 for a small tin. But certain types of pu'er tea have the distinction of being among the few teas (if not the only teas) that actually improve with age. And we're not talking about a few weeks or months, or even a couple of years. People shell out the big bucks for pu'er cakes that are decades or even centuries old (going even back to the Qing dynasty period, 1644-1911). For this reason, counterfeit pu'er is becoming more and more common, and, not surprisingly, some people have turned to this magnificent tea as a form of investment. With some pu'er varieties doubling in price ev...
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China Mist Iced Tea - Fiesta Fria
2007-06-23 20:51:00
In the Quest for the Perfect Iced Tea (QPIT), China Mist 's Mango had a brief and illustrious moment at the top. All of about four and a half hours. Well, I suppose its not necessarily been knocked out of the #1 position, so much as it now is "co-leader" with China Mist's Fiest a Fria.This is the tea that was originally missing from my order (replaced with a 2nd box of their "Traditional" Iced Tea). But a quick email to customer service and they popped a box of Fiesta Fria straight into the mail and it arrived here lickety split. (This is the main reason why China Mist is a company I like, even if their teas aren't quite up to snuff with what I'm looking for in a top-notch brew.)It has a fruitier flavor to it than the Mango, though its hard to nail down what it is exactly I'm tasting. Some citrus, to be sure, but also some "warmer" tastes in there; maybe the hint of berries or some more exotic fruit. Its a very nice blend, whatever it is. I'm not sure if the tea leaves are any d...

China Mist Iced Tea - Mango
2007-06-23 17:37:00
I don't know it for the fact, but I've always just sort of assumed that the iced teas I order in California - which at least in Napa and San Francisco have been absolutely perfect - were mango-flavored. Its sort of a non-descript, faint citrus-y flavor and for whatever reason, I've always ascribed it to mango. It may be, it may not. But because of that, I was very much looking forward to trying China Mist 's Mango Iced Tea.In the end, it wasn't half bad. Its still missing that crisp, clean flavor I'm looking for, but the mango flavoring works very well. Its got a tinge of artificiality to it, but certainly its quite a bit tastier than their Prickly Pear.Its not quite to the point where I'd say I'd definitely buy it again, but certainly I won't have any compunction about brewing up another batch in the near future. Of all the iced teas I've tried to date in the Quest for the Perfect Iced Tea (QPIT), this one's got a tenuous hold on first place.

Adagio.com
2007-06-22 16:10:00
Adagio is one of the few tea companies I've come back to again and again when ordering tea online. They get e-commerce - every aspect of it. The store is cleanly designed and easy to navigate. Each tea has clear pictures of the tea blend (and not just the packaging, which, let's face it, is the least important aspect of a tea, but the only one most companies show you). Each has dozens, if not hundreds, of reviews from previous customers, as well as an overall rating from 1 to 5 (most hover between 3.5 and 4.7, so the range is a bit compressed). And best of all, they sell cheap little 10-serving tin-samplers for about $2 or $3 (a rare few cost $5) so you can sample any tea that strikes your fancy without breaking the pocketbook.Orders above $50 ship for free - though in my experience they tack on a $2 "rural surcharge" for certain areas (ahem, mine). That's not a big deal though. And perhaps best of all, they have an automatic customer appreciation program, where you earn a "point...

China Mist - Hot Tea Assortment
2007-06-22 04:23:00
Although the real impetus behind my first order to China Tea was for its much-lauded iced tea bags, I couldn't help but order their Tea Bag Sampler - described as "two of each of our 18 blends of premium quality teabags." Thirty six teabags for 10 bucks wasn't all that bad so I splurged.So far I've tried three - the Tea Lovers Decaf, the Earl Grey (of course), and the Simply Mint (an herbal tea). None of them has really wowed me, unfortunately. The Earl Grey was passable, as was the mint herbal... the decaf was just weak and flavorless. All of their teas so far seem to go down smooth, with a slightly creamy texture, as opposed to going down clean and crisp, which is generally how I prefer my teas. Its a different experience - not really a bad exprience - but different all the same, and it leaves me less quenched than I usually am after a nice cuppa.I suppose I'm going to have the same issue with most, if not all, of their other teas, but I'm willing to give each a proper review...
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There is a God - Fast Lane Tea is BACK!
2007-06-21 17:14:00
Oh... my.... God. It worked. It actually worked. You see these things done all the time, for all manner of silly and illogical causes, but you never think they'll actually end up changing the world. All hail the mighty e-petition!Yes, folks, its true. One of the greatest blunders in the history of tea-making has been rectified. Celestial Seasoning has officially brought back Fast Lane Tea!Now, I know Celestial Seasonings has a bit of a bad rap. Its common, its cheap, its flavors are bold and boastful and appeal to the lowest common denominator. Bah to that. Celestial Seasonings may have a lot of crazy and, let's face it, awful flavors, but with Fast Lane Tea, they achieved perfection. I'm going from memory here (its been nearly a decade since I last drank the stuff), but it had this delicious, earthy taste to it... a mix of black tea, spices, and, oh yes, loads and loads of caffeine. (Hence the name).I got hooked on this stuff in the mid- to late-90s when I was in college. It had...
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Harney & Sons Peppermint Herbal Tea
2007-06-21 16:49:00
I was shopping at Barnes & Noble the other day, absent-mindedly waiting in line at the cafe for a fresh-brewed iced tea (yes, part of the ongoing QPIT - Quest for the Perfect Iced Tea). What I got was ok, a passion-fruit blend which was definitely refreshing, just a tad heavy on the fruit flavor. It was so overwhelmingly fruity, and the color such a deep red that you practically forgot you were drinking a tea at all. Still, on a hot day it scratched my itch and its something I'd order again if there were no better alternatives. (How's that for noncommittal?)Anyway, this review isn't about B&N's tea, but rather its about Harney & Sons 's Peppermint Herb al tea - a tin which caught my eye whilst waiting on line at the B&N cafe. I'm a sucker for peppermint tea, and my stocks at home had long ago dwindled to nothing, so I picked it up for $7.95 (loose, 3 oz). Brought it home, opened the can and took the obligatory First Whiff - absolutely delightful. Quite possibly one of th...
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China Mist - Prickly Pear Iced Tea
2007-06-21 02:52:00
As I wrote about a week ago, I've decided to make another go of my Quest for the Perfect Iced Tea (QPIT). China Mist was a company I've not tried before, but I'd read enough glowing reviews to convince me they were worth an experimental 50 buck purchase. The one flavor they had that I really looked forward to trying was their Prick ly Pear Iced Tea. So when the shipment arrived, before I even checked the remaining contents of the box, I tore open the Prickly Pear packaging and put a quart of water on to boil.Each box of China Mist's iced tea contains four large sachets, and each of those makes a half gallon (two quarts) of tea. They recommended steeping one bag in a quart of near-boiling water for 5 minutes, then pouring another quart of cold water into the mix. Seemed reasonable enough, and so it was done. Two hours in the fridge and I was ready to enjoy my first China Mist iced tea.A little history, before I get to my review.Back in the 20th century, when I was a wide-eyed coll...

Adagio - Citron Green Tea
2007-06-21 00:02:00
My favorite brew is Earl Grey, but Adagio's Earl Grey Bravo was one of the biggest tea disappointments I've yet experienced (if only because its aroma was so mind-blowingly perfect). Fortunately, Adagio more than made up for this blooper with their Citron Green . Its not technically an Earl Grey, but fans of the brew will no doubt recognize the bergamot-like aroma straight out of the bag. But whereas Earl Grey Bravo completely overdid the bergamot flavoring, resulting in a bitter, perfumey taste, they got things just about perfect with Citron Green. It smells great and tastes wonderful. Its made with a fairly light green tea blend, so those who aren't generally "greenies" don't have to worry about imbibing a brew that tastes either like tree bark or grass clippings. Instead its a light, fruity drink that hits all the right notes. The citron flavor which is so abundant in the aroma is nicely subdued in the taste, perfectly complimenting the olfactory experience. One caveat -...
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China Mist Customer Service
2007-06-21 00:00:00
I received my first order from China Mist today, a medium-sized box full of about 8 different iced teas. I'd done the shotgun approach and ordered just one box of nearly every flavor they had, to get a fair sampling of their wares. But wouldn't you know, instead of the box of Fiesta Fria (duly ordered and paid for), they gave me a second box of their Traditional Blend. Not a huge problem, but sort of disappointing since I was hoping to try as many flavors as possible in my ongoing quest for the ideal iced tea.So I dropped a quick email to customer service explaining the problem, and got a quick and polite response apologizing for the mishap and letting me know the missing box of Fiesta Fria was on its way in that day's post. (The extra box they'd sent in the original shipment, they said, was "on the house".)Ok, so maybe I have low expectations for companies these days, but damn it, that deserves some recognition. They didn't bug me about order numbers, they didn't come up with...
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