I’m on a weekend vacation and forgot to bring my tea and the international grocery didn’t have it, so I settled for Darjeeling. I can barely notice the difference. It’s so subtle that it might as well just be a different tea brand.
I know the sort of tea suppliers you’re referring to. Ive been disappointed by tea from quite a few of them. This isn’t one of them.
They are actually a small family business that’s been quietly working for over 100 years. They are basically a whole sale company aimed at the ultra premium quality market. They have a little stall in one of the guildhall markets, where they’ve been for decades at least.
As far as I’m personally concerned, their tea is worth the prices they charge. I also wouldn’t judge them by the price of bags. Them selling bags is relatively new. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn the teabags were hand made to order. When it comes to loose leaf, they are actually cheaper than some Twinings teas.