Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Shanti Tea

Product Description:

From Darjeeling in West-Bengal, India, comes this rare exquisite Darjeeling Black tea, prized over all other black teas for its rich amber color, fine floral hints, and fruity muscatel flavor. Cultivated at about 7000ft in the Himalayas, this second flush tea is biodynamically grown at the renowned Makaibari Estate, the oldest (est. 1859) and most respected tea estate in the world. This outstanding afternoon tea is a richly flavored yet light-bodied tea that is best when tastes alone, but can also goes well with milk and sugar.

Taster’s Review:

This is an excellent Darjeeling.

It has the qualities I’ve come to expect from a good Darjeeling:  it is light-bodied and crisp, with a pleasant fruit and floral taste and a musky undertone.  But something is a little different with this particular Darjeeling.  Something a little unexpected.  It has a richer – I almost want to say “thicker” – flavor to it.  Like a sort of velvet-y like smoothness to the flavor and texture that is not usually experienced in a Darjeeling.  It’s almost as if Darjeeling met Assam, fell in love and this Darjeeling is their love child.

That is not to say that this tea possesses strong Assam qualities because this is absolutely, positively a Darjeeling tea.  This “love child” favors the Darjeeling side.  And as I continue to sip, I notice more qualities that make it so.  The muscatel really shines through by mid-cup.  But that smooth, almost creamy thickness to it is almost malty… it offers hints that are very Assam-like.  This is a very wonderful, complex cup that is as interesting to write about as it is to sip.

A very pleasant surprise, this Darjeeling from Shanti Tea.  And I have enjoyed every last drop of it!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:

Where to Buy:  KTeas

Product Description:

Picked 20 March 2011!

Fresh from the bush at Glenburn to your cup!

Savor Glenburn Estate’s First Flush Darjeeling tea, picked on 20 March 2011. Only the finest tender shoots from Glenburn’s clonal sections, picked during the onset of Spring, will do for this delightfully light liquor, bright and smooth on the palate. Don’t miss the full aroma, the citrus flowers and peach undertones in this personification of the first harvest of the growing season, brought to you from the heights of the Himalayas in Darjeeling, India.

Taster’s Review:

This is FABULOUS!  Definitely one of the very best Darjeeling teas I’ve ever tasted.  Ever!

The dry tea leaves are varying shades of brown and light green.  I even questioned whether this was in fact a black tea or a green tea, not only because of the color of the dry leaf, but, because of the color of the brewed tea and the flavor.  The liquor is a beautiful, light amber.  It is delightfully fragrant, with notes of fruit and spring blossoms.  It reminds me of living in California and walking past the orange groves when they’re in bloom.  It smells so wonderful!

The flavor is amazing.  So light and crisp!  The sip starts with a sweet, fruity tone, and transitions smoothly to a dry astringency, leaving behind a sweet, wine-like note to enjoy in the aftertaste.  While it certainly possesses the qualities I’ve come to expect in a black Darjeeling, the lightness of this tea, not just in texture but also in flavor, gave me reason to wonder if this was a green or black tea.  A prompt response from the Glenburn estate assured me that this is, indeed, a black tea.

This is truly one of the most amazing Darjeeling black teas I’ve yet to taste.  It will take your taste buds on a journey, and really, isn’t that what a good tea should do?  I liked that this Darjeeling challenged me.  If you’re a Darjeeling devotee, I strongly recommend adding this tea to your MUST TRY list.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Hampstead Tea

Product Description:

Our signature, award-winning black tea from the Makaibari Estate in Darjeeling, India. A light, afternoon tea with muscatel and fruit tones.

Ingredients: Fairtrade black tea

Taster’s Review:

This is a really flavorful Darjeeling – and it’s a bagged tea!

Yes, I prefer loose leaf.  But I have learned that not all bagged teas are inferior. This Darjeeling is a perfect example.  Hampstead Tea is dedicated to providing only the finest quality teas, and they choose to package their teas with the same care that they use when selecting their organic, fair trade teas.

This Darjeeling offers a light, crisp muscatel flavor that seems to sparkle on the palate.  It tastes of fruit and finishes dry and astringent, like a fine wine.  The aftertaste is sweet and tastes like a sweet-tart currant.

The lightness of this tea makes it an ideal afternoon tea.  I prefer it straight with no additions, but a little honey or agave nectar might be alright.  Just don’t overdo it, or you might ruin the gentle sweetness that this tea already possesses.  I wouldn’t recommend adding milk, I think it would overwhelm the delicious complexity of this tea.

It is easy to see why this Makaibari Estate Darjeeling is an award winner.  It is an absolutely delightful Darjeeling.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Golden Moon Tea

Product Description:

The Makaibari people of India’s Darjeeling Province built their first tea factory in 1859, which means they were growing world class teas according to the rules of permaculture long before permaculture was hip . In such a system, tea is just one of many naturally growing sub-tropical plants under the cool forest canopy – keeping the soil and the tea it produces consistent. In the case of our remarkable tea, this means a consistently nuttier, less astringent flavor than other Darjeeling Teas.

Taster’s Review:

This is a refreshingly different Darjeeling.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I love almost every Darjeeling I’ve tried – some more than others, and occasionally I do come across one that should be ashamed to call itself a Darjeeling, but other than those rare tea experiences, I generally enjoy a good cup of Darjeeling.

But, as I said, this one is a bit different – and in this case, different is good.  The nutty tones of this Darjeeling are quite remarkable.  Typically, I rejoice in the wine-like muscatel qualities of a Darjeeling, but here, I am reveling in the nutty characteristics of this Darjeeling.

The sip begins with a sweet nutty flavor that lasts through to mid-sip.  It is at this point that a brief nut-like bitterness arrives, which is almost immediately washed over by a light, sweet fruity note.  This is followed by a hint of wine-like muscatel at the finish.  The aftertaste is sweet and nutty with a slight fruit note.  While there is some astringency to this Darjeeling, it is much lighter than a typical Darjeeling.

This is a delightful Darjeeling, one I am happy I had the opportunity to try!  As a company, I have nothing but good to say about Golden Moon Tea.  They are prompt and courteous when responding to questions when I have them, and they ship very fast.  And I think their teas are fantastic too!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Shanti Tea

Product Description:

This rare Darjeeling green tea is cultivated at about 7000ft in the Himalayas, at the renowned Makaibari Estate, the oldest (est. 1859) and most respected tea estate in the world, and also the world’s first biodynamically cultivated tea garden. This exquisite green tea has a light amber color, a mild, natural aroma and subtle flavor, with delicate floral hints.

Taster’s Review:

I have tried a few teas from Shanti Tea and one thing that I’ve noticed which remains consistent with every tea that I’ve tasted thus far is Shanti Tea’s dedication to delicious, high quality tea.  This tea is certainly no exception.

I was surprised to see the dry leaves – they are LARGE!  Most of the Darjeeling tea leaves I’ve seen up until now have been a smaller, cut (or torn) leaf, and while these leaves are torn, they are much larger than the small leaves I’m used to seeing when it comes to a Darjeeling.  At first glance I would have thought it to be an Oolong.  And that’s not the only thing that makes this different from a typical Darjeeling!

The leaves produce a clear, pretty amber colored liquor that is beautifully fragrant.  The aroma is somewhat floral but there is also a somewhat toasty/musky/woody kind of scent in there too.  It’s quite an interesting bouquet, bringing together feminine floral notes with a warm, masculine undertone.

The taste presents a lovely complexity to the palate, starting with a hint of flowery notes that taste almost jasmine-esque.  The floral notes are soon joined by a toasty flavor that is somewhat nut-like, followed by the subtlest note of musky wood.  About mid-sip, the slightest taste of sweet pear appears.

The flavor is light and refreshing, and so different from what I’m used to when it comes to a Darjeeling tea.  I am used to black Darjeeling teas which tend to be crisp and light in flavor.  This one has that crisp, light flavor too, but while a black Darjeeling has the muscatel that tends to come off as a sparkling, wine-like note, this one has more of a rich, toasted nut flavor.  This one focuses less on the fruity aspects and more upon the rich, buttery nut taste.  The muscatel is still there with this tea, but it is just … different.  Deliciously, refreshingly different.

A beautifully complex Darjeeling that causes me to rethink what a Darjeeling is supposed to be.  I like that!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  White Darjeeling

Where to Buy:  Camellia Sinensis

Product Description:

This white tea is very unusual combination of Darjeeling terroir, pure assamica tea, and the artisanal expertise of Avongrove’s Mr.Subba. Large silken buds give a relatively dark infusion and liquor due to the assamica’s chemistry. Rich and creamy in the cup with a smooth, full attack of cocoa butter and hazelnut notes that linger into a long pleasant aftertaste.

Taster’s Review:

Ahhh-Maz-ING!  This is an astounding white Darjeeling.

The tea brews quite dark for a white tea – and when I first saw the brewed liquor I was a little worried that I had used too much leaf or infused too long.  But, after tasting it (and reading the above description) I realize that this tea is meant to be this dark.  The aroma of the liquor is quite delightful – I can smell notes of chocolate!  YUM!

The flavor is quite surprising.  Normally with a white tea, you might expect the flavor to be delicate, but that is not the case here.  This is one of the strongest white teas that I think I’ve ever tasted.  The flavor is smooth and rich and quite delicious.  Sweet, nutty, and even a hint of cocoa in there.  Very flavorful and very enjoyable.

I would recommend this tea to anyone who might think they don’t really care for white tea because it is too delicate – this one will shock them!  This may just be my favorite white tea yet!  I love it.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Mhaidiva

About Mhaidiva:

Mhaidiva is pure quality tea. In general the following applies: the higher the tea is cultivated, the better the quality. Mhaidiva comes straight from the plateaus of Sri Lanka, the Nuwara-Eliya district, known as the ‘champagne area’ of Sri Lanka.

99% of the Mhaidiva tea is picked by women at the tea plantations, the women control the picking of the tea leaves with the fingertips in perfection. Mhaidiva is made by 100% Orthodox picked tea, qualitative the best way of picking.

Taster’s Review:

Of the various types of black tea on the market, Darjeeling is one of the more temperamental teas.  Proper brewing is essential to achieve a pleasing flavor.  But while it is a little different from the typical black tea brewing process, it is not more difficult and it is definitely worth the little extra attention.

With this Darjeeling, some of the work is done for you because it is a bagged tea (well, actually, it’s a pyramid sachet).  No measuring, no mess, no fuss.  I like that.  Pull the kettle just before it begins to boil.  The water should be almost boiling but if it achieves a boil it is too hot for these Darjeeling leaves.  Allow it to steep for just 3 to 3 1/2 minutes.  Don’t over-steep.  By following these simple steps, you’ll be rewarded with a very delicious, luxurious cup of Darjeeling – the Champagne of Tea!

The flavor is crisp and light.  It is a much lighter body than you might expect from a black tea.  There is a beautiful fruit note that tastes a bit like currants in the background.  This currant-y flavor lends itself well to the wine-like character of the muscatel note.

When brewed properly, I am finding a pleasant complexity to this tea.  My first attempt with this tea was not quite as pleasant, because it was over-steeped.  If the water is too hot or the tea is steeped too long, it will become bitter.  But when brewed according to the suggestions above, I am finding this to be quite lovely.  It seems to be a little less astringent than some Darjeeling teas I’ve encountered.  It is lightly sweet and very enjoyable.

Another delicious offering from Mhaidiva!  Very nice!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Joy’s Teaspoon

Product Description:

A sparkling, fully aromatic tea from the beginning of the second flush period with a full amber colored cup.  The bouquet is spicy with a hint of sweetness.

Taster’s Review:

I’ve had several Margaret’s Hope Darjeelings in the past, but, it seems that the time between them is distant, and in the time of absence, I seem to forget just how good the Darjeeling tea from Margaret’s Hope estate really is.

The brewed tea has a delightful fragrance.  It has an overture of spice – clean and refreshing – with a mid-note of wood and a pleasant undertone of fruit-like sweetness.  This is one of those teas that you should inhale deeply before taking a sip to get full satisfaction from the tea.

A crisp, medium-bodied tea, this Darjeeling has an amazing flavor that is somewhat spicy in composition.  Not spicy-hot kind of spicy, but a savory, hint of pepper and woody spices kind of spicy.  There is also a sparkling fruit-like taste to it.   The finish is sweet with an aftertaste of fruit and pepper.  I’m also finding this to be only slightly astringent – not nearly as astringent as some Darjeeling teas can be.

This tea makes for a very pleasant afternoon tea.  A fine representation of what Darjeeling should be!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black (Darjeeling)

Where to Buy:  Canton Tea Co.

Product Description:

A truly superior Earl Grey that takes this traditional favourite to a completely different level. Unusually it is made with a blend of Darjeelings from the world renowned Goomtee and Glenburn Estates and then infused with natural oil of Bergamot (the oil extracted from the rind of the Bergamot orange). A light scattering of orange blossom petals adds to the visual appeal. It has a lively fresh taste, with the soft base flavours of the Darjeelings balancing the bright citrus notes.

This tea needs to be tasted to fully appreciate just how good an Earl Grey can be. Naturally it bears no resemblance to the mass-produced Earl Greys – but being made with such extraordinarily good black teas as a base, it may just be the best Earl Grey you’ve ever tasted.

Taster’s Review:

I do adore Earl Grey tea, as most of you probably know by now.  And this is a decent Earl Grey offering, although I don’t know that I would go so far as to say it is the best I’ve ever tasted.  It’s certainly pleasant though.

The Darjeeling base offers an interesting set of flavors on its own.  The fruity notes of the Darjeeling together with the bright citrus tones of Bergamot create an interesting taste.  It is a lighter base than most Earl Grey teas, but it makes for a delightful afternoon tea.

The Bergamot is not quite as strong with this Earl Grey as in others I’ve tasted, but, it works here because it allows for the subtle nuances of the Darjeeling to be appreciated.  I am finding the Bergamot to be just a little on the tart side.  While it is usually quite tangy, this is veering toward the sour side of things.  Not a bad thing – just different.

Overall a nice Earl Grey, and it would make a good choice for those who sometimes find the Bergamot in other Earl Grey teas to be a bit overbearing.  You may find this lighter touch to be just right for you.  A little sweetening is fine with this Earl Grey, but I wouldn’t recommend milk with this one – it would overwhelm it.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black Darjeeling

Where to Buy:  California Tea House

Product Description:

Introducing our new 2nd Flush, Organic Darjeeling, also known as the champagne of teas… This USDA organically certified Darjeeling is a very fancy, high-end tea and we are doing everything we can to keep it at a nice price.  It has a natural aroma of fruit and muscat for those who love dessert wine.

Taster’s Review:

More than any other tea, I think that Darjeeling reminds me of a fine wine.  Yes, I know that Darjeeling is referred to as the “champagne” of teas.  And there are certain qualities of a Darjeeling that are quite champagne-like, especially that crisp, almost sparkling quality to a Darjeeling that you won’t find in other teas.  But it is the fruity, muscatel notes that inspire comparisons to a top notch wine.

This Organic Darjeeling from California Tea House is an outstanding Darjeeling.  It tastes crisp and vibrant and full of flavor.  I taste strong notes of black currant and sweet grape.  For those somewhat new to teas (or more specifically, to Darjeeling teas), this is one of those Darjeeling teas that could be used as an excellent example of what that mysterious muscatel note in Darjeeling really is.  Sweet, fruity, and even possessing hints of sharp floral notes, this is truly a remarkable Darjeeling.

The astringent note at the end is dry, readying the palate for the next sip.  While I often consider a Darjeeling to be very autumn-esque, I am finding it to be a perfect tea to enjoy on an early spring day as well.  It needs no additions – I think Darjeeling teas should be enjoyed without sugar or milk because I think they interfere with some of the delicate nuances of the tea.  However, I do think that the wine-like qualities of this Darjeeling make for a perfect pairing with Blue Cheese and Fig Crackers from O Pair.  The sweetness of the muscatel notes bring the more elusive flavor of the fig in these crackers to the surface, while the savory notes of the blue cheese highlight some of the more savory tones of this tea.  This is a perfectly delightful afternoon snack!  YUM!