[Vahdam Teas] [Expired] Darjeeling Second Flush Teas - 50% + 25% off

Thank you. Op.

Love darjeeling and this post is spot on.

They also have loads of reviews and listings on Amazon, but these are better prices on here. Most, if not all, are FTGFOP1 grade and stored well, in my experience.

Also, the Daily Darjeeling tea was alright, but a bit meh.

When it comes to Darjeeling teas, I'm a bit of a tea snob and I would say that their selection is better than what we normally find in North America at tea stores but lacking in regards to other online tea vendors from India. They have a large number of more generic Darjeeling blends (ie not from a single estate and no idea of what year or even flush the tea was picked) rather than single estate, single flush for a particular year. I can understand why as they can buy products which have been left over either because the batch of too small for a larger vendor to sell or it was cheaper and then they blend it into a tea for sale that fits a particular profile. To me, single estate teas are the only way to really enjoy the complexity of Darjeeling teas and if you are going to pay a premium price, then you should get the premium taste by buying single estate and only single estate teas.

And in terms of taste ratings, they may not be a true reflection of what you are actually going to taste or get.

Why?

Because a good tea is like a fine wine and should be viewed as such. Being a product that is dependent on the growing conditions, a tea's taste changes with different conditions. And since conditions vary from estate to estate and year to year, the taste of the tea will also vary. I've had multiple opportunities to sample Darjeelings from the same estate, the same part of that estate, and the same flush but different years and they taste completely different. So, unless those ratings are listed with the year of the tea in question, the ratings don't mean that much.

Gotta love tea drinker's etiquette. Second flush, now that's good manners. A courtesy flush in the event of a wayward floater is always appreciated.

Nikhilvoid wrote: ↑ Some pretty hot teas for tea lovers/snobs. I'm picking Okayti and Jungpana teas, but there are some pricier/better teas also on sale. Some Assam teas also on sale.

https://darjeelingtealovers.com/tea-gardens-darjeeling/

https://steepster.com/teas/vahdam-teas?sort=rating

Use "Welcome25" for an addiitonal 25% off, for first time buyers. They shipped my order express last time, maybe accidentally. Took 4-5 days. I think you need about $25-30 CAD to get free shipping.

I saw a "black tea" post and thought I'd post this.

The website says free shipping on orders over $99. This almost always means $99 USD which today is about $133 CDN. This is last years harvest as this years 2nd flush pick hasn't started yet so the tea you would get is now almost a year old. Green teas lose most of their flavour no matter how well they are stored in a year however blacks do hold up better and with proper storage will last up to 2 years. Still you need to drink a lot of the same tea if you're ordering enough to get free shipping .. and then most if not all couriers are going to ding you for brokerage fees even though there are no duties on tea. Since Darjeeling teas are in such high demand there is also plenty of counterfeiting going on too. I would also consider ordering from http://camellia-sinensis.com/en/tea?country=IN , IMO possibly the most reputable and best quality tea vendor in this country.

I had $25 in my cart and there is free shipping but no tracking so its not $99+ for free shipping.

My second order also shipped with Fedex Express, and it was for about $27CAD. I had selected the free shipping method, but it is tracked, just like last time. The estimated delivery date is May 21.

Yes, the tea is almost a year old, but that's perfectly acceptable for the price. And Vahdam is a new but reputable vendor: https://techcrunch.com/2017/12/11/india ... ises-1-4m/

I would also recommend looking at Teabox if you are going to order $50CAD worth of tea to get free shipping. There are a lot of competitors, but I can't find better prices.

https://www.teabox.com/collections/estates-darjeeling

Nikhilvoid wrote: ↑ My second order also shipped with Fedex Express, and it was for about $27CAD. I had selected the free shipping method, but it is tracked, just like last time. The estimated delivery date is May 21.

Yes, the tea is almost a year old, but that's perfectly acceptable for the price. And Vahdam is a new but reputable vendor: https://techcrunch.com/2017/12/11/india ... ises-1-4m/

I would also recommend looking at Teabox if you are going to order $50CAD worth of tea to get free shipping. There are a lot of competitors, but I can't find better prices.

https://www.teabox.com/collections/estates-darjeeling

Did Fedex charge you brokerage fees?

6060842 wrote: ↑ Did Fedex charge you brokerage fees?

Last time they didn't.

As a long time Teabox customer, how does Vahdam compare with their Darjeeling?
Too bad they don't have any Autumn flush on sale.

Mansun17 wrote: ↑ As a long time Teabox customer, how does Vahdam compare with their Darjeeling?
Too bad they don't have any Autumn flush on sale.

Not sure. I've never ordered Teabox before, but I see Teabox has more variety. Teabox wants $10USD for shipping below $50cad, I think.

The Autumnal flush should go on sale in 3-4 months?

Mansun17 wrote: ↑ As a long time Teabox customer, how does Vahdam compare with their Darjeeling?
Too bad they don't have any Autumn flush on sale.

Teabox, while having some number of blends, seems to have a much larger set of relationships with the various tea estates as they have a much larger selection of single estate teas. They also seem to have more promotions. Of course, Vahdam is new so they may increase their collection as well as their promotions in the future.

On a side note, the selection that Teabox has is still pretty small in relation to the number of actual tea estates in Darjeeling and that many of the larger or geographically diverse estates will offer multiple versions of their teas for a particular year and flush - ie they might have a smaller unique tea that is just too small to market in any large quantities.

I was looking for reviews of different tea estates and found this recent documentary that was depressing and infuriating. Apparently, the fairtrade and rainforest alliance labels were being handed out like candy to tea estate owners, while tea workers live like slaves on $2.5/day, and without running water, sanitation, food, or protective gear for spraying pesticides.

They drink tea with lots of salt to curb their hunger, jfc.

Apparently, Vahdam is giving scholarships to the Giddarpahar estate worker's kids, but I'm sure the workers would like them to put pressure on their bosses to up their wages instead.. https://www.vahdam.com/pages/teach-me

Nikhilvoid wrote: ↑ I was looking for reviews of different tea estates and found this recent documentary that was depressing and infuriating. Apparently, the fairtrade and rainforest alliance labels were being handed out like candy to tea estate owners, while tea workers live like slaves on $2.5/day, and without running water, sanitation, food, or protective gear for spraying pesticides.

They drink tea with lots of salt to curb their hunger, jfc.

Apparently, Vahdam is giving scholarships to the Giddarpahar estate worker's kids, but I'm sure the workers would like them to put pressure on their bosses to up their wages instead.. https://www.vahdam.com/pages/teach-me

Unfortunately, that's pretty much par for the course in most agriculture based commodities like tea and coffee - both labour and greenwashing. As for drinking tea and salt, it's not just for hunger as the tea provides the hydration required and the salt replaces the salt that is sweated out throughout the day working in the fields. You also have to realize that many of the documentaries fail to property tell the complete story and focuses on the story they want to tell rather than what's actually happening. That's not to say that the conditions are good when they are actually pretty poor but rather that the story is seen through the eyes of the documentary rather than a more neutral view.

If you follow the history of the region, you'll soon realize that it's not just the tea estate owners who are making money on the backs of the workers but also the various political parties that supposed to support the workers as well as assorted trade unions in the region.

craftsman wrote: ↑ Unfortunately, that's pretty much par for the course in most agriculture based commodities like tea and coffee - both labour and greenwashing. As for drinking tea and salt, it's not just for hunger as the tea provides the hydration required and the salt replaces the salt that is sweated out throughout the day working in the fields. You also have to realize that many of the documentaries fail to property tell the complete story and focuses on the story they want to tell rather than what's actually happening. That's not to say that the conditions are good when they are actually pretty poor but rather that the story is seen through the eyes of the documentary rather than a more neutral view.

If you follow the history of the region, you'll soon realize that it's not just the tea estate owners who are making money on the backs of the workers but also the various political parties that supposed to support the workers as well as assorted trade unions in the region.

I have indeed heard about greenwashing, but didn't realize fairtrade was suspect. They have pulled certification from those estates since the documentary came out.

About the salt tea:

In neighbouring Assam, the condition of tea garden workers is equally dismal. Across all tea estates, excessive intake of salt in their tea has led to severe cardiovascular disease leading to high mortality. Dr H C Kalita, head of the Cardiology department, Assam Medical College, who conducted a survey in tea estates, found that hypertension was widespread and was much higher in those who worked in the plantations as compared to general population. The cardiac condition was linked to alcohol use and high salt intake.

Sanjay Bansal says it has been a practice in Assam to drink tea in the field with pepper and salt and this system is continuing in many Assam tea estates over many decades. This tradition was introduced during British rule and since then estate owners have followed it. In order to deal with severe dehydration caused by long working hours under the sun and heat, owners provided copious amounts of tea, loaded with salt.

However, the overdose of salt led to heart disease and many did not survive beyond the 40s. Even after the British left, in many estates in Assam salted tea is popular. As a result, workers suffer from hypertension and other severe cardiac problems. Death rates are on the rise because consumption of salt continues to be high. Tobacco is another addiction that poses high risk.

https://thewire.in/economy/tea-gardens- ... lnutrition

I don't see any bias in the DW documentary. If anything, they didn't seem to push the grower or the importer/retailer hard enough; maybe it was a precondition of gaining access to them and the estates. I visited Darjeeling as a teenager a few decades ago, and we never saw the living (or working) conditions of the workers on our tours of some of the estates.

Governmental corruption is probably to blame, but one of the few things politicians respond to is media exposure like this, where importers stand to be shamed. I am certain the importers are complicit in the working conditions. Maybe some good will come of the revoking of the certifications. Hard to do ethical consumption under capitalism.

Nikhilvoid wrote: ↑ I have indeed heard about greenwashing, but didn't realize fairtrade was suspect. They have pulled certification from those estates since the documentary came out.

Pulling the certifications on only those estates listed in the documentary is a sign that none of these so called 'certification' organizations is really serious about anything other than selling certifications. After all, these estates didn't just obtain these certifications by themselves, the certification's employees and processes in country (and maybe the governing body as well) allowed for the 'granting' of these certifications. If they were serious standing by the validity of their certifications, they would suspend all activities and do an internal 3rd party overhaul of their people and processes. After all, how can the public trust these organizations who claim they know better and they do better when really they don't.

Nikhilvoid wrote: ↑ About the salt tea:



https://thewire.in/economy/tea-gardens- ... lnutrition

While a popular target, salt consumption doesn't necessarily lead to the issues listed. General poor quality food and eating habits are more to blame for poor health than salt. Just look at other countries like Japan who have some of the highest level of salt consumption on the planet and compare their rates of hypertension and cardiac issues.

What you need to do is to see how the rate of those issues change as their diet has changed through the ages. Or if you take a sample group and provide better food with the same amount of salt and hydration, does their outcome change?

Nikhilvoid wrote: ↑ Governmental corruption is probably to blame, but one of the few things politicians respond to is media exposure like this, where importers stand to be shamed. I am certain the importers are complicit in the working conditions. Maybe some good will come of the revoking of the certifications. Hard to do ethical consumption under capitalism.

Corruption is big in the smaller regions as corruption has always been a big thing. Just check the local press and see the various stories about the subject. Your statement about ethical consumption under capitalism is misguided as the problem isn't capitalism but corruption as we see it all over the world regardless of the economic system they have.

craftsman wrote: ↑
While a popular target, salt consumption doesn't necessarily lead to the issues listed. General poor quality food and eating habits are more to blame for poor health than salt. Just look at other countries like Japan who have some of the highest level of salt consumption on the planet and compare their rates of hypertension and cardiac issues.

Corruption is big in the smaller regions as corruption has always been a big thing. Just check the local press and see the various stories about the subject. Your statement about ethical consumption under capitalism is misguided as the problem isn't capitalism but corruption as we see it all over the world regardless of the economic system they have.

Ok, I don't think you understand what capitalism or corruption is. Otherwise, I don't see how you can (a) complain about Fairtrade not doing its job and (b) not see how that is a problem of deregulation and letting industry (and the profit motive) regulate industry. That's 100% a problem of capitalism. Every industry lobbies for deregulation because that increases their profit margin.

Who do you imagine is bribing elected government officials and regulators and for what reason except to exploit workers more, cut down on operating costs, and thus boost profit margins? Other government officials?

I'm going to assume the doctor on the scene knows what he is talking about. The science is inconclusive and we don't know how much salt is being consumed by these workers.

Nikhilvoid wrote: ↑ Who do you imagine is bribing elected government officials and regulators and for what reason except to exploit workers more, cut down on operating costs, and thus boost profit margins? Other government officials?

That's corruption. And that happens in all sorts of government systems from capitalism to communism to the tin-pot dictators. But you hear about more of these bribery situations and general under-the-table dealings in non-capitalist democratic countries than you do in capitalist democratic countries. Just look at the Corruption Perception Index - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruptio ... ions_Index. Notice that all of the countries in the top 20 are either capitalist, democratic or both and compare that to the bottom 20.

craftsman wrote: ↑ That's corruption. And that happens in all sorts of government systems from capitalism to communism to the tin-pot dictators. But you hear about more of these bribery situations and general under-the-table dealings in non-capitalist democratic countries than you do in capitalist democratic countries. Just look at the Corruption Perception Index - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruptio ... ions_Index. Notice that all of the countries in the top 20 are either capitalist, democratic or both and compare that to the bottom 20.

Perceived corruption, my dude, and just measures public-sector corruption. Just read the substantial criticism that list has received, and it is even listed in the Wikipedia article.

US lobbying and campaign contributions and a president who is not divested from his business interests and refuses to return his tax returns? Boeing 737 Max crashes? The list of corruption scandals in the US is endless, but perceptions are always subjective and partisan. Republicans are unwilling to see Trump as corrupt and Liberal voters are unwilling to see Trudeau as corrupt. Here's a helpful list of types of scandals: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruptio ... ted_States

A lot of them are about industry/capital trying to undermine the domestic elected government's ability to regulate industry, or enforce those regulations in both the service and manufacturing sectors, and even undermine that regulatory infrastructure in third-world countries too (which is what bribes expressly do). Bribes often originate from first world industries, like in the case of SNC Lavalin and Sweden's, TeliaSonera. And they do it to gain a competitive edge in resource extraction in a third-world country. And, it's useless to criticize one particular industry, company, or even a CEO as corrupt, because the profit motive demands they do it or someone else will.

https://www.thenation.com/article/tom-d ... rms-yemen/

https://globalnews.ca/news/5067570/boei ... aa-safety/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying_ ... troversies

According to political scientist Dan Hough, three flaws in the Index include:

1. Corruption is too complex to be captured by a single score. The nature of corruption in rural Kansas will, for instance, be different from that in the city administration of New York, yet the Index measures them in the same way.
2. By measuring perceptions of corruption, as opposed to corruption itself, the Index may simply be reinforcing stereotypes and cliches.
3. The Index only measures public-sector corruption, leaving out private actors. This for instance means the Libor scandal or the VW emissions scandal are not counted.