Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black (Darjeeling)
Where to Buy: Tea People
Tea Description:
In Darjeeling, winter is the time for all tea plants to rest. Come spring, little leaf buds begin to appear and open amidst a flurry of activity. From these leaves is created a delicate tea meant for super connoisseurs of tea by the well known organically certified Makaibari tea estate located in the foothills of the Himalayas where the tea is grown at an altitude of around 4500ft.
The light liquor has the characteristic Darjeeling floral bouquet along with an incredible depth and complexity. Fantastic for afternoons when you need a little pick-me-up.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I want to start by apologizing to our loyal readership for going a few days with no posts! Due to an unfortunate circumstance, I found myself without a tea kettle. I accidentally broke the glass carafe (or jar) of my Breville One-Touch and I was kind of … well, not even “kind of,” I was very devastated by the loss. I was depressed. I felt like I lost one of my best friends. And that may sound sad, but, hey, when you love tea the way I do, you know how important these tools become to you. Anyway … I’m still without the glass jar momentarily and am still sad about my loss but there is good news on that horizon which I will share with you in a future post.
For now, I’m using a stove top kettle and brewing some Darjeeling Tea from Tea People. Specifically, I’m drinking this Makaibari First Flush Vintage Black Tea.
And it is a lovely Darjeeling!
The aroma of the dry leaf is very earthy with notes of wood. It reminds me a bit of the smell of a forest just after a rain: wet wood and earth with notes of peaty moss. Once brewed, I notice more of a floral note emerging, and less of the woodsy/earthy tones.
The flavor is pleasantly crisp and smooth. Darjeeling teas tend to typically be a lighter tasting and feeling tea than other black teas, and this is true with this Darjeeling as well. It has a light, uplifting flavor and texture. It glides over the palate, offering flavors of notes of earth and flower, with a sweet fruit note that is present throughout the sip.
The sip begins with a woodsy sort of flavor and a subtle undertone of fruit. The fruit notes emerge more toward mid-sip, offering a sweeter flavor. As the sip nears the finish, the sweet fruit notes meld with a floral note and hints of earth are in the background. The finish here is not quite as astringent as some Darjeeling teas that I’ve experienced, in fact, it’s a very mild astringency. The aftertaste is lightly sweet.
It’s a beautifully complex cup of tea, and it’s definitely lifting my spirits!
