I recently bought a small package of San Cha Tea from an airport shop, as a last minute gift for a foreigner. 100g was priced at USD10 and I assumed that at that price it ought to be premium leaf tea with a distinct flavour. It so happened that I did not get to meet the intended recipient, so we decided to drink the tea ourselves. We are basically coffee drinkers but we certainly relish a daily cup of good quality leaf tea, and looked forward to this expensive branded tea. San Cha turned out to be a horrible let down. Adding insult to injury, it was an over priced let down.
As with all leaf teas, I was particular to make it by boiling the water, switching off the gas and only then steeping the tea in the boiled water. Even after 5 min infusion, the tea was tasteless. By tasteless, I mean tasteless. No flavour, no nothing, it was like faintly coloured boiled ditch water. Needless to say, we were most disappointed. Eventually I mixed it with our regular brand of leaf tea, merely to finish the packet.
Probably because this product is sold as a "gift" item, fancily packaged, and mostly at gift outlets such as at airports, the manufacturers know that the buyer will not be trying it himself and the recipient is hardly likely to complain about the poor quality of the "gift".
The manufacturers would do well to improve the quality of the product, rather than indulge in fancy packaging.
Needless to say I will not be buying or recommending San Cha Tea again.