Victor661 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 07, 2020 12:40 am
I am looking into some tips and hints related to mixing true teas together.
Funny you mention, I recently accidentally mixed together ~300 grams of previously blended 1st flush Darjeelings with a conglomeration of ~200g 2nd flush Assams.
They were all rather middling batches, the mediocre stuff left over from sampling splurges the past ~3 years. I'd try to drink a cup or so a day along with my regular known top-notch stuff, rather than toss it.
But I didn't intend on blending the Assam with the Darjeeling, that's a weird mix.
I'd left it all at a relative's, then the Pandemic hit, and when I found the two containers, I'd forgotten one was an Assam blend and one a FF Darjeeling. I knew they were a bit stale and I wasn't really paying attention, just dumped it all together and stirred.
At first they totally clashed, FF Darj with SF Assam, and I quickly realized my mistake.
But it kind of grew on me and I think I'll finish it
On the whole, I try to order teas I know I love, usually single estates. I drink mostly deep-steamed Chiran Sencha, Halmari Assam, Early Spring 1t Flush Darjeeling batches, 2nd Flush and Autumnal Darjeeling, and sometimes black, green, oolong China teas mostly from teaspring and Hojo. So, good stuff.
But sometimes when sampling new teas, or if you don't know what you love yet, or comparing vendors, or chancing a bargain, one winds up with lower-grade teas.
It'd be fine to mix Trader Joe's wine with Gallo, but mixing high-end Bordeaux vintages together would be a waste (not that I know anything about wine).
So tldr, nothing wrong with mixing unspectacular teas of the same category, but the very good stuff, not so much.