Ten Ren Tea & Ginseng Company

Looking for some new tea I thought I’d give Ten Ren a visit.
I explained to the woman I was looking for a medium roast Oolong tea (Te Kuan Yin.) She pulls out the $ 60 per lb. and $ 80 per lb. containers. I inquired about the difference between them and she says, «I don’t know, I don’t drink low quality tea. I’ve only tried this one» and points to the container for $ 120/​lb.
What store tells their customer they sell second-​rate products and then infers the customer would be interested in it?
I then asked for a different tea. When she didn’t know the English name I tried to say the Chinese name, «Jin Xuan.» She then arrogantly corrects my pronunciation and tells me they’re sold out.
In a last attempt I ask for a third tea, a black tea from Yunnan. Of course this becomes another chance for her to belittle me with her exaggerated sense self importance and tea knowledge. Making $ 8/​hr isn’t a reason to belittle me nor does it make you the grand poobah of the tea industry.
Being Easter Sunday and out of tea. I didn’t have any other place to go. So I bought the smallest possible quantity of the $ 80/​lb. of Te Kuan Yin. After four brews in a yixing pot its fair to say the tea is flat and lacks any depth of flavor. There’s a faint peachy characteristic. The tea was either over roasted or roasted too quickly as a «charcoal» flavour dominates the palate without any of the sweetness that should accompany a dark roast.
Ten Ren could be summed up in a word, «mediocre.» It’s a small store that doesn’t focus on quality in any aspect, not in their teas, staff hiring or customer service. The staff are disparaging and indifferent and the prices are inflated. The tea industry is very competitive, find a store that values your business.

Ten Ren has recently acquired the 2011 Spring Flush Da Yu Ling Oolong which was selling for the ridiculously low price of $ 118.00 for 150 grams. You cannot purchase finer Oolong. The natural sugars are unbelievably high making for a sweeter Oolong with undertones of pineapple on the palate, absolutely amazing. However, do not beat a path to their doorway because I bought all that they had.
Ten Ren has the Li Shan Mtn. Oolong 2010 winter flush in 150g and 300g packages currently. I have tasted both and I must caution those considering the purchase of this $ 300.00 per pound specialty to avoid this years selection. The tea delivers neither in flavour nor aroma. Everything is subdued and essentially tasteless. What they are selling is a bad crop. This tea is not worth buying at any price, it just does not perform at all.
However, as always, Ten Ren has many excellent Oolongs and green teas to choose from that will not break the bank and some that will break the bank. If you have to forgo the Li Shan this year, you will not be deprived. Wait until next harvest and see what becomes available but you will be extremely disappointed in the 2010.
I have attached for the photo section, an image of the packaging for the reference of interested readers. This way you have visuals on what you should be avoiding.

They have such a wide selection of drinks! I was disappointed to see that they didn’t have Strawberry Green Tea like they do at other ones (or at least in the US!), but it’s okay. I just went with a large Milk Tea w/​Boba.
The first sip of milk tea was strong, but it was weaker after that… More like water with an essence of tea. I do like how they shake their teas, though – it makes the drink so much better! As for the boba, I’ve had better. It was a bit soft and not very chewy, but it wasn’t terrible or anything.
I’d like to come back to try some other teas, but probably without boba the next time.