Steepology Tea Blog

Tea of the Month Clubs

Green tea 2 by Ayelie.

I like shopping locally to support the community I live in, but when it comes to buying tea, I don’t have many local options. There is one coffee and tea chain retailer that I’ve bought tea from, but they just don’t have much of a variety or good-quality teas. A friend of mine imports tea, but his clients are mostly companies and restaurants. In other words, he doesn’t actually have a store. So, in order to buy from him, I have to call in advance to make sure he’ll be around. Not only is it an inconvenience to me, but I often feel like I’m inconveniencing him, too. Still, I buy most of my tea from him and turn to the internet for the rest of my tea purchases.

I’ve been curious lately about Tea of the Month Clubs. I used to be a member of a Pencil of the Month Club (I know, I’m a geek), and I loved receiving a new package each month and learning about the history and manufacturing process of each pencil. And imagine getting that package each month, but instead of pencils, getting new teas! That would be awesome.

In my quest for Tea of the Month Clubs, I came across a list by Tea Guy Speaks. It’s just a list, though, so he doesn’t summarize membership benefits or provide information beyond the links. I, however, am looking for a Tea Club that meets specific criteria: I want something affordable (under $100) and I’m particularly interested in Chinese tea (though not every selection must include Chinese tea). Those two criteria rule out most of the clubs. So, what’s left?

Silver Tips Masterful Tea of the Month Club: “The best teas we can recommend in any category - black, green, oolong or white. 1 oz. of each month’s selection sent in the middle of each month.” A 3-month membership (approx. 84 grams of tea) is $65. And they list the selection of teas they’ll ship:

The Tea Table Tea of the Month Bonus Plan: The “Bonus Plan” indicates that each shipment includes a special, surprise gift. I don’t much care for that, but this is the only option that included The Oolong Plan and The White Tea Plan:

The Oolong Plan: In contrast to black teas, which are fully oxidized, and green teas, which are not oxidized, oolongs are semi-oxidized. Because some oolongs are more oxidized than others, the flavor of oolongs can vary from near-black to quite green. Examples include Tung Ting Jade Oolong, Champagne Formosa Oolong, and Anxi China Oolong. This plan is only available for the 4-shipment plan. (2-3 ounces of tea per shipment.)

The White Tea Plan: White teas are appreciated by connoisseurs for their unmatched subtlety, complexity, and natural sweetness. Examples include Drum Mountain White Cloud, Snow Dragon, and Imperial Silver Needles. Because of the limited number of white teas available, this plan is only available for the 4-shipment option. (1-2 ounces of tea per shipment.)

These plans are $85 each, with shipments going out every three months for one year.

Totally TEA-riffic Tea of the Month Club: “Each shipment will consist of 4 oz of tea chosen from the category that you choose. (Some shipments may be less than 4 oz for the more expensive rare teas.)” The Chinese Black Tea category caught my eye. I’m not a big drinker of black tea, but I like that this category includes only Chinese tea. The cost for six months is $84.95.

The Tao of Tea World Tea Club: “During the first week of each month, you will receive three teas in sampler size quantities. Depending on the tea, each sample will typically make 25-30 cups of tea.” This club is a bit of a crap shoot, in that you don’t at all know what you’re going to get, but I do like the sound of most of the “possible” teas they list. A 4-month membership is $80.

TeaSource Tea of the Month Club: TeaSource has a particularly interesting tea club, in that it is catered to individual preferences. They actually recommend calling them first for a consultation! Here’s their price chart:

Keep in mind, though, that shipping is NOT included in these prices. For a six month membership, add an extra $23.40 (or $46.80 for 12 months). Those shipping costs seem high to me, but the Rare 6 Month Membership still comes in under $100.

So, which will I go with? The jury’s still out, but I find TeaSource’s club to be particularly attractive.

Have I overlooked any clubs that meet my criteria? Let me know in the comments!

Posted by Rachel at Thursday ~ October 04, 2007 |

Category: Tea

 

“Comments”

Rachel 04/10/07 - 9:47 am

What about DragonWater’s Tea Tasting Club (http://www.teatastingclub.com/)

You get to pick the teas of the month that you want (they have a default list if you don’t. It’s $10 a month and you get 5% off all orders at the site too.

I’ve never used it, but I considered it.

Whatever you decide (or if you decide to go with a couple), be sure to write a review. I was considering one myself but wasn’t sure.

Rachel 09/10/07 - 7:16 am

I didn’t come across that one in my research, but it’s moved straight to the top of the list! Thanks for mentioning it.

It did make me wonder, though, why not just stick with trying out a bunch of samples, like Upton Teas offers? But I suppose it requires a bit of extra motivation to put together my own “tea of the month club”. It can be good to have a little nudge each month to try something new!

Steph W 10/10/07 - 9:17 am

Wow - those prices look pretty good! I was part of the Imperial Tea Court six-month club (a gift from my mother) a few years ago. The teas I received were fantastic and I thoroughly enjoed it! However, it is a bit more expensive. http://www.imperialtea.com/TeaClub.asp

What I liked best about it - and any tea club you might join - is that I tried teas I probably wouldn’t have purchased otherwise. I kept a tea journal with my tasting notes. FUN!

Pls do let us know how this goes for you!

Rachel 11/10/07 - 1:17 pm

Oh, thanks for reminding me about my oft-neglected tea journal!

Sarah 17/10/07 - 9:00 am

I dearly love Tea Source (I live in MN, so I can wander down to their store any day of the week), and one of the first birthday gifts I gave my now-husband was a 6-month membership to their tea of the month club. Definitely worth it.

rachel 31/10/07 - 4:46 am

Thanks for the endorsement, Sarah! And I’m jealous of your proximity to Tea Source!

Pamela 30/03/08 - 12:33 pm

Check out www.hinastea.com. They have four different tea clubs depending on your taste, and while they don’t have one that focuses on Chinese teas, they have one for rare white teas. They mail one a month for 120 dollars. Their other clubs are less expensive.

alexis 01/04/08 - 10:56 am

thanks for sharing these plans. I’ve been on the hunt for one as well-as I’m always looking to sample something that I’ve never tasted before. which plan did you end up using?

also, would you mind if I linked back to this post for my tea blog?

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