Vacuum-sealed vs paper-wrapped tea — does packaging matter?
Some teas come vacuum-sealed, others in paper. Is one obviously better?
Depends on the tea. Greens, matcha, lightly-oxidized oolongs: vacuum-sealed protects aromatics — non-negotiable. Pu-erh: paper-wrapped is correct (pu-erh needs airflow to age — vacuum-sealing arrests fermentation). Black tea, heavily roasted oolong, white tea: foil-lined kraft or tins work fine, vacuum doesn't help much. The single biggest packaging factor isn't vacuum-or-not, it's whether the package blocks light (UV degrades chlorophyll fast) and food smells from the kitchen. Opaque + sealed beats clear + vacuum.
— Yurii — 931 Tea, 931 Tea