Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black (Darjeeling)
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
This 2nd Flush Darjeeling black tea is harvested in June and embodies aromatic deep earthen leaves that brew a gentle golden amber, full bodied, subtly sweet, and satisfying cup every time. So gentle and smooth, our Darjeeling 2nd Flush is the perfect afternoon tea. Best served hot.
Learn more about May’s Tea Menu for the Selection Club here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Use this code: SISTERSELECTION25 to get a 25% discount when you sign up for the selection club. This discount is not applicable on the retail selection of teas, and is only good for the selection club subscription.
Taster’s Review:
This 2nd Flush Darjeeling from my May’s Tea Box from Simple Loose Leaf is absolutely LOVELY! It has a lovely, well-rounded taste with beautiful fruit notes. I am tasting that lovely muscat grape note that evokes thoughts of a fine wine.
Of course, since I don’t typically drink wine, I mostly just imagine that this is what a fine wine would taste like if it were served hot and the alcohol content was somehow removed. But it has that smooth, uplifting, grape-y note that hits the palate around mid-sip and toward the finish becomes a bit more like a black currant. Delightful.
The flavor is sweet and smooth and there is a slightly tangy astringency toward the tail. I’ve found that with some adjustments in brewing parameters, I encounter less astringency with my Darjeeling teas than I would if I would have gone with a boiling temperature and 3 – 4 minutes brew time. Instead, I brew a Darjeeling at 195°F and steep for just 2 1/2 minutes. This offers a very pleasing flavor without a strong astringent bite that Darjeeling teas often have. There is still some dry astringency to this, but it isn’t quite as obvious as it would have been if I steeped it hotter or longer.
This is a very fine Darjeeling tea. A nice sweetness that contrasts nicely with hints of earth and wood. Juicy fruit notes meld with light floral tones. A really pleasant Darjeeling – this is one I’d recommend to those looking for a nice afternoon tea to serve while curling up to a good book or to offer to guests.
A really good Darjeeling.
Organic Sungma Darjeeling Black Tea First Flush 2014 from Happy Earth Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black (Darjeeling)
Where to Buy: Happy Earth Tea
Tea Description:
An enchanting Darjeeling first flush with a highly refined floral bouquet and well rounded flavors.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was so excited to receive a selection of the fresh, spring harvested teas from Happy Earth Tea! This Organic Sungma Darjeeling Black Tea First Flush is the first that I’ve tried from their 2014 teas.
Ahh! It is crisp and invigorating when it washes over the palate. If your tea repertoire tends to be of the “usual” teas like blacks and greens, you really should incorporate a Darjeeling tea in there every once in a while. It really wakes up the palate!
And the flavor is smooth and sweet with notes of flower and fruit. I don’t get a strong “muscatel” from this Darjeeling, then again, it is a first flush and you can expect more muscatel from the second flush than the first. But this does have some wine-like notes that are muscatel-ish and make this fan of Darjeeling happy.
It has a nicely round flavor and less astringency than I would have expected from a Darjeeling. A really nice sweetness comes from the fruit notes. A sweet aftertaste. I find this to be more fruity and less woodsy than a typical Darjeeling.
Overall, this is one of the nicest first flush Darjeeling teas that I’ve tasted in a while. I love that it’s so fresh, I love that it’s Organic, and I love that it’s a Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance tea. I love Happy Earth’s dedication to our planet! Everything about this tea – rocks!
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!
Makaibari Darjoolong Tea from Tea People
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong (Darjeeling)
Where to Buy: Tea People
Tea Description:
A superb creation of Makaibari, this bio-dynamically grown tea walks the world between green and black. The amber liquor produced is not like any other oolong ever made. Naturally sweet tasting and with characteristic flowery undertones it also exhibits lemony, vegetal and earthy qualities. It is perfect for any time of the day and is highly recommended by our tasters at Tea People.
Makaibari tea estate is one of the first organically certified tea gardens of Darjeeling. It is located in the foothills of the Himalayas in the town of Kurseong where the tea is grown at an altitude of around 4500ft.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve been looking forward to trying this Makaibari Darjoolong Tea from Tea People! Why? Well, first, I’ve tried and reviewed quite a few different teas from Tea People at this point and I’ve been impressed with what I’ve tried. Second, I’ve tried a few Darjeeling Oolong teas (but not nearly enough!) and I’ve enjoyed those! So, I was certain I’d enjoy this tea.
What I find so intriguing about Darjeeling Oolong teas is that they seem to encapsulate what I love most about both teas. I adore Oolong tea – I love that sweet taste and the thick, luscious texture of an Oolong tea. And yep … this Darjoolong has that. I also adore Darjeeling teas – especially a Darjeeling with a delightful muscatel note. Yep … this Darjoolong has that too.
I approached the brewing of this Oolong tea the same way I’d brew any Oolong: in my gaiwan. I administered a quick rinse (15 seconds in hot water) and then steeped the first infusion for 1 minute. 45 seconds would have worked quite nicely too, I think, because this cup is plenty strong. I add an additional 15 seconds to each subsequent infusion. I combine the first two infusions together into one cup, and the third and fourth infusion will combine to create my second cup, and the third cup will combine infusions five and six. And so it goes…
As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, this first cup is very flavorful. More flavorful than the “average” first cup of Oolong. It is strong with mustcatel notes – beautiful, grape-y, wine-like flavors. It tastes very Darjeeling-esque, but, with a smoother, softer texture. The top notes are fruity and wine-like, with an earthier middle note with light woodsy notes. Overall, it’s sweet, but there is a slight savory note that meets my palate at about mid-sip. There is a light to medium astringency and a sweet aftertaste.
The second cup was a bit smoother than the first, the flavors were not quite as focused as the first cup. I could certainly still taste the muscatel, and the notes of wood. I taste a slight “char” to the wood this time with a slight mineral-y note. The astringency is milder this time. Still sweet and crisp, and very much like the love child between a second flush Darjeeling and a Dark Oolong.
My third cup was my favorite cup of the three! That doesn’t happen often. Usually, the second cup is my favorite, occasionally the first is the favorite, but very seldom (as in, I can’t remember the last time this has happened!) is the third cup my favorite of the tea experience with an Oolong. Now, I taste more Oolong and less “Darjeeling” notes, and perhaps that’s why I prefer this cup. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I love the Darjeeling notes of this tea! But, I’m more a fan of Oolong than of Darjeeling, and I love the way the Oolong notes are shining through in this third cup.
I taste peach notes along with a very subtle muscatel. There is next to no astringency in this cup, and the flavors are soft and buttery. Less of the woodsy/earthy notes are tasted, and more of a honeyed sweet peach note. Imagine a bowl of fresh, tree-ripened peach slices that have been cooked down a bit to intensify their sweet flavor, and then this bowl of peach slices is drizzled with honey. Yeah – it’s OK to drool right now! – that’s what I’m tasting with this cup. YUM!
A really lovely tea experience from this “Darjoolong!” I highly recommend this to fans of Darjeeling teas as well as fans of Oolong. And definitely take the time to go through a few infusions, it’s well worth that effort!
Makaibari Silver Green Tea from Tea People
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tea People
Tea Description:
From the famed Makaibari tea estate we bring you the highest grade of green tea. Appearing like streaks of silver on a canvas of green, these leaves when brewed produce a gentle golden liquor. The Silver green liquor transports you into a world full of the symphony created by the jingle of the bangles of beautiful tea pickers and the rustle of the green tea leaves as their hands brush against it. This rare green tea is made exclusively for connoisseurs who are enthralled by a sweet tasting green tea without the overpowering grassy and chlorophyllic overtones. It has a dry finish and no lingering aftertaste.
Makaibari tea estate is one of the first organically certified tea gardens of Darjeeling. It is located in the foothills of the Himalayas in the town of Kurseong where the tea is grown at an altitude of around 4500ft.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I love the green and white teas that come from the Darjeeling region, and this Makaibari Silver Green Tea from Tea People is an excellent example of why I enjoy these teas so much. This is lovely!
The flavor is vegetative with a taste that is a little grassy and a little bit like steamed vegetables. There are even some notes of seaweed to this. One of the more vegetative green teas that I’ve had in a while. It’s a very invigorating sort of vegetal taste … it is as if it’s nourishing my very soul.
And I love that even though it does have a strong vegetal tone to it, it’s not a bitter or overpowering “green” taste. It has a really pleasant sweetness to it too. I like the balance between sweet and savory to this cup. It has a slightly dry astringency at the tail with a clean aftertaste.
I like this one served hot, but, it’s also quite nice chilled too – try brewing it with some fresh mint and then chilling it – amazing! A very refreshing beverage.
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