Does all tea get better with age?

Dear Mr. Tea,

I was having a debate with a friend and we were discussing whether or not it mattered if a loose tea was fresh or not. I said that the fresher the tea the more beneficial, flavorful, and aromatic the tea would be. She disagreed and said that it really didn't matter how old the tea was and that there were even some teas that were better with age. Please help me settle this argument.

Thanks,
Deanna

I love being the referee in settling an argument! Game on!

Guest ring announcer - Chris Cason: "In this corner, from Walla Walla Washington, weighing in at 125 lbs, Deanna the Deeeeemon!!!

"And in this corner, hailing from parts unknown, weighing in at 132 lbs, Weak Tea Willamina!!!"

Willamina jumps in, immediately putting Deanna in a seemingly inescapable full nelson, growling in Deanna's ear "it does not matter how old tea is - it's all dead leaves anyway and dead is dead!!!"

Deanna somehow reverses the move, placing Weak Tea in an inverted face lock, screaming, "Are you kidding? Leaves decay eventually! Fresher tea is more beneficial, flavorful and aromatic!"

Guest referee Mr. Tea steps in, hollering that although tea doesn't go "bad" per se, it will loose a bit of flavor after about a year, and will continue to decline - becoming "flatter" in taste.

Having broken up the fight for a moment, the bell rings and Willamina pounces the Deeeeemon from behind, dragging her to the ground. With lightning speed, she applies a figure four-leg lock, shouting, "You both don't know what you are talking about!!! Some teas get better with age!"

Deanna appears to be tapping out, but she's really inching her way towards the ropes. The Deeeeemon manages to grab the bottom rope, and Mr. Tea forces Willamina to loosen her grip, yelling "Yeah, Pu Erh gets better with age, but that is a fermentation process that happens at an estate, not your cabinet! This tea will eventually peak too!!!"

Willamina drops her head, having run out of moves to combat the argument. She walks out of the ring, defeated, as Mr. Tea raises Deanna's arm

Chris Cason shouts "And the winner, by disqualification, Deanna the Deeeeemon!!!"

Cason then runs to the edge of the ring, grabs Mr. Tea by the ankles, and flips him over the top rope, sending him crashing through a conveniently placed ringside table.

I'd have another cup of tea, if my ribs didn't hurt so much when I swallow. Oh well,

-Mr. Tea