Bonnie

I’m so sorry that you didn’t like this tea. I have been disappointed with many aspects of the Tea Spot, the lackluster flavors of their teas being only one thing on the list. A couple of weeks ago, I talked with one of their representatives at the Boulder Farmer’s Market. I asked about where they sourced their tea leaves from, and he told me it was “top secret.” This answer never bodes well with me. I have learned that the best companies are the ones who are willing and able to communicate to their consumers about how they work directly with tea farmers or estates, giving names and other information, to produce the very best tea. The best tea companies that I know of (Verdant, Seven Cups, Red Blossom) never have secrets. This makes me think that the Tea Spot has something to hide, a button of shame, that when pushed, will reveal a series of red tape where tea shifts hands from hopelessly destitute growers and pickers, through a series of middlemen, and into the hands of innocuously ignorant buyers who do not know the destructive repercussions of their buying practices. Okay, I’ll stop now, I’m sounding a little down.

The tea tasted old. The flavors were sour. Too bad. Maybe someone from the tea spot will begin to read the distress of consumers like us who want them to be better for their good and ours.

Hi Bonnie, Chadao—I’d like to take the opportunity to respond to your comments as this thread has just come to my attention.

Bonnie: It’s true that the Bolder Breakfast is a mild blend—we see this as the tea’s strength in some ways. It is a complex blend designed to reach a median flavor, inoffensive but slightly sweet, and bold enough to appeal to the coffee drinker. The fact that you taste sourness in it does concern me, and I’ll be cupping Bolder Breakfast tomorrow in the office. I’m wondering if the sample you received was old. It’s actually our top selling blend, but suits the palates of some better than others. I would like to suggest, however, that you give our Chocolate “O” a try, and please let me know if I can get you a sample of that to review. Chocolate “O” is a chocolate blend on a single base (a Hong Mao Jian black tea), and is better suited to a more advanced palate in my opinion. Again, please let me know if you’d be willing to try it or any other teas on our website that catch your eye.

Chadao: While I am sorry to hear your opinions on our teas, I would be curious to see as well if we have any that might match your palate more closely. We carry near 50 teas at the moment, from flavored blends to single origin organics. I’ll be happy to get you samples as well.

In regards to the Farmer’s Market—that employee was a contracted hire for select Saturdays who has since been let go for this exact reason. Regrettably, his response to your question reflects his lack of knowledge about our teas, but NOT anything related to our company’s policies. We are firm believers in transparency in the tea industry, and are happy to answer any questions about origin, grading, age, etc.

Communication with our customers is of the highest priority to us, so I feel fortunate to have come across this post tonight. Please let me know what I can do to rectify the rude response you received at the Farmer’s Market. If you’re available to come by this Saturday, you’ll find me there for the duration of the market’s hours, and I’ll be more than happy to answer any questions you have about our sourcing.

Please, Bonnie + Chadao, feel free to contact me in whichever way suits you so that I can see how to turn those frowns upside down.

Bo Olson
Sales Director & Tea Specialist
bo@theteaspot.com
(303) 444-8324

I am happy that my very own COLORADO tea company is being responsive to comments. I don’t write critical reviews lightly or on a whim or purely because of personal taste. I would be glad to try the other suggested sample or samples. Prove me wrong!

Bonnie, shoot me an email or message here with your address and I will get some out the door to you tomorrow!

Just sent an email…

cream in puerh? that’s desperate! 0_o