If you know me at all, you know that black teas are my jam! I love them! Adore them and downright devour them! So when my fellow Sister, CuppaGeek told me about this tea that she really enjoyed, I knew this tea was one I had to instantly brew up when the tea arrived at my door.
Fellow tea enthusiasts-let me tell you, THIS TEA IS FABULOUS! And honestly, I will declare this tea the Tea of the Week for me!
Right from the start, you can tell this quality tea is going to be amazing. The tea leaves are described as having a dark umber leaf and that is exactly what you get.
The directions from the sample package we were sent says “One teaspoon per cup plus one for the pot with freshly drawn, boiling water for four minutes”. And that is exactly what I did, give or take a moment or two.
This tea hits all of the points on the description and more. Smooth- Check! Rich- Check! Delicious-Check! Check!
Like CuppaGeek said in her review of this tea, this tea delivers on all points and would one that I would happily drink as an everyday tea to start off my day or as a cuppa after lunch to get myself over that lunch wall I sometimes hit.
All in all -if you are a fan of darjeelings like myself, do yourself a favor and check this tea! You’ll be so happy you did!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Grey’s Tea
Description
- Darjeeling Castleton Second Flush
- From the Castleton garden in the foothills between Darjeeling and Siliguri.
- Established by Dr Charles Graham in 1885.
- In 1996 it was awarded the ISO 9002 certificate of quality.
- This renown new season Darjeeling Castleton Second flush has a dark leaf.
- It is smooth, rich and has a distinct muscatel character and a long finish.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Darjeeling Castleton Second Flush 2017 from Grey’s Teas. . . . .
Recently I enjoyed a smoky black tea from Grey’s Tea that was a delight but not necessarily my first choice in teas. But this second selection from Grey’s Teas definitely is.
Darjeeling Castleton Second Flush is an amazing smooth rich black tea that gives you all the tea feels from the very beginning. From the moment when you open the tea to get ready to steep, you now you have an instant best friend.
Brewed with freshly boiled water and allowed to steep for four minutes, you will have yourself an amazing perfect cuppa tea! Rich smooth waves of delicious rich slightly astringent tea encases each and every sip with the most gorgeously silky finish.
Simple yet so full of flavors that all combine so well. I’ve found that this tea is one of the more satisfying teas that I have had in a while and I can’t help but sit back and really immerse myself in the cuppa as I sip away.
This tea is a true gem and one that I have greedily sipped down in a few different sessions. Extremely appreciated to have been able to enjoy this delight and excited to hear what my other Sisters have to say about this tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Grey’s Tea
Description
Darjeeling Castleton Second Flush 2017 is from the Castleton garden established on the foothills between Darjeeling and Siliguri by Dr Charles Graham in 1885. In 1996 it became the first Indian tea garden to be awarded the ISO 9002 certificate of quality. This renown new season Darjeeling Castleton Second flush has a dark umber leaf. It is smooth, rich and has a distinct muscatel character with a long finish. Infuse one teaspoon per cup plus one for the pot with freshly drawn, boiling water for four minutes. Drink without milk. A most rewarding experience!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Formosa Lapsang from Grey’s Tea
The other day I was in the mood for a tea that was different. . .a game changer . . .one that would shake up my taste buds and Formosa Lapsang fit that bill perfectly!
This particular tea is an oolong with that familiar smoky tone and flavor of a Lapsang black tea. So you are getting the best of both worlds. That gorgeous oolong setting with a smoky backdrop. Talk about shaking up a flavor profile. This tea does just that.
First you are greeted with this aroma of pure smoke. This tea variety is not for the faint of heart. (If you aren’t one that enjoys smoky teas, than this tea may not be your cuppa, but if you are, I highly encourage you to check this tea out. ) The flavor profiles are bold with
With each sip, you are greeted with that smoky rich flavor that gives both your taste buds a high five right along with your sense of smell. Bold, yet rich and smooth. The smoky notes combined with that familiar oolong flavor that I have come to really enjoy. Towards the end of the sip you start to get this earthy finish that completes the sip while that smoky tone does start to come back in a subtle aftertaste.
I can’t say that this tea would be an everyday drinking sort of tea, but for a switch on what I normally drink -which is green or white teas- this Formosa Lapsang was a very welcomed palette cleanser and one that reminded me of how tasty smoky teas are. Usually I do shy away from them, but I feel myself starting to open up to those varieties more.
All in all, a tea variety that absolutely delivers on flavor, quality, and uniqueness. this tea will be one that I will remember for some time to come!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Grey’s Tea
Description
- Formosa Lapsang: a most unusual Lapsang tea from Formosa (Taiwan).
- It combines the earthy characteristics of Formosa’s oolongs with the pinewood aromas of Fujian Lapsang Souchongs.
- This aromatic tea is smoked uniquely over a combination of oak and pinewood.
- The typically coarse yet deep brown leaf produces a wonderfully balanced and subtly smoky tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Happy Valley Darjilong Organic Tea from Grey’s Teas
Tea Type:
Oolong Tea
Where To Buy:
Grey’s Teas
Production Description:
Darjeeling tea lends itself well to the oolong process of semi-oxidation. It creates a character beautifully complementary to the muscatel taste of Darjeeling. It is a fragrant tea that has a little more complexity than you would expect with black Darjeeling. Infuse for five minutes with fresh water just off the boil. We also offer .
Tasters Review:
Happy Valley Darjilong Organic Tea from Grey’s Teas…well, well, well! I have a bit to say about this tea! First…the name! Anything that says Happy Valley just has to put a smile on your face! I wanted to start the day off positive and this tea certainly helped! Organic teas always make me happy, too! The name Darjilong is just fun to say! But when you put a Darjeeling Oolong in front of me I tend to pick it a part a bit. Maybe that goes back to ‘word dissection’ in my college days – not sure – but that’s sort of what I did here.
I took the “Darjeeling” to heart. I always associate Darjeelings with a specific taste profile, I guess…mostly via Black Darjeeling Teas eventho I have had Oolongs, Whites, and other Darjeeling Teas but I guess I will always have a place in my heart for Darjeeling Black. Don’t get me wrong – I’m LOVING this tea! I LOVE that it’s a Darjeeling Tea and that it’s a Darjeeling Oolong Tea. It’s not quite as muscatel as some of the Darjeelings I have tried but I’m totally ok with that. Sometimes I actually prefer it. It’s slightly juicy. In the 2nd infusion It’s more juicy as well as more muscatel and even a bit more sweet-woodsy tasting – which is very much welcomed. I do enjoy the 2nd infusion a bit more than the 1st but BOTH infusions are VERY satisfying. I appreciate the complexity of this tea. From start to finish it’s fairly fragrant, too! It’s also a winner HOT or COLD. A terrific tea for Spring, Summer, or Fall! Excellent!
Assam Anandabagh STFGFOP1 Autumn Flush Tea 2013 from Grey’s Teas
Tea Type:
Black Tea
Where To Buy:
Grey’s Teas
Product Description:
This is a lovely, tippy autumn flush Assam with a most attractive, slightly liquorice note. It is malty yet elegant, having plenty of tip evident. Just flown in this 2013 picking is a real treat. Infuse for five minutes. Drink with milk.