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Why are some teas expensive and others cheap?

Quality is the obvious answer. Tea leaves vary tremendously in quality due to many factors. Some of these factors are:

• The species of the bush on which the tea is grown.
• The tea's growing region.
• The elevation of the estate on which the tea is grown.
• The weather conditions which existed during the growing and plucking season.
• The time of year the tea was harvested.
• The time of day the tea was harvested.
• The age of the tea bush.
• The selection of leaves from the tea bush.
• The method of leaf plucking employed.
• The oxidation process.
• The manner in which the leaves are collected in (or from) the tea estates: the rolling, tearing and twisting of the leaves which promotes the release of natural juices and enzymes, thus ensuring proper oxidation.
• The firing or drying method used on the leaves.
• The proper grading or separating into like leaf sizes which ensures balance in the cup.

And, approximately, thirty other factors.

After the grower or estate owner is thoroughly satisfied that his/her tea is the very best that the estate can produce, samples are sent to buyers in tea-consuming countries around the world. Based on what these experts decide and on supply and demand projections, market prices are established. In the end, though, quality determines price. A tea costing the end consumer $100 per OUNCE is, by expert opinion, 100 times better than a tea costing the consumer $1 per OUNCE. It is also, by extension of that definition, 100 times more rare or has 1/100th of the availability.

The lowest grades of tea are, in the trade, commonly referred to as institutional or "supermarket" tea. The next few grades up are generally better, but not noticeably, and are sold under a variety of generic or brand names. These grades are sold in tea bag form. Truly rare (and quality) tea is never sold in tea bag form.

In summation: Price is your guide when it comes to rare, quality tea. Tea is not traded as a commodity, such as coffee, but at either open or closed auctions. The more expensive the tea, the finer its quality. One who is in the business of being a "Tea Merchant" cannot lie about the quality of their tea, for all it takes is the first sip from the first cup and the customer will determine the honesty of that "Tea Merchant."

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