Customer inquiry: I have a pack of tea leaves at home that I bought a few years ago and never drank. Can I still drink it? How long can unopened tea leaves last?
How long tea leaves can last depends on how they are stored. If they are vacuum-sealed, the packaging is intact, and they are kept away from direct sunlight without getting damp, oolong tea can theoretically last 5 to 10 years without spoiling.
▲ As long as it is well vacuum-sealed, oolong tea will easily last 3 to 5 years.
Some teas not only don’t spoil, but actually develop richer flavors over time, such as Pu-erh, Taiwan’s Oriental Beauty tea, aged old teas, and black teas. In recent years, aged black teas have also become popular—these are stored for several years to allow the tea leaves to transform. These teas taste even better after being stored for three to ten years, and they can cost several times more than new teas.
If your tea leaves have already been opened, remember to include a desiccant or use a tea dryer to roast them slightly. The key is to prevent the tea leaves from absorbing too much moisture, as damp tea leaves will spoil very quickly.
▲ Remember to vacuum seal them in opaque packaging bags.
The store manager still has some oolong tea from over twenty years ago that hasn’t been finished yet! Whenever high mountain oolong tea is opened, the manager always roasts it dry and vacuum-seals it again. As for heavily fermented oolong, Oriental Beauty, and black tea, the manager won’t roast them quite as dry, allowing them to “age” slightly for a better flavor. However, if you’re not confident about managing the humidity, it’s best to finish drinking them soon after opening.