Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong (Darjeeling)
Where to Buy: Teabox
Tea Description:
This is a spiced Oolong Chai Tea, which is flavourful and aromatic. It’s guaranteed to soothe your senses and recharge your mind.
An eclectic addition to our Indian chai category, the Maharaja chai is made by our in-house master blenders by mixing classic Darjeeling oolong with crushed pieces of cardamom pods, cinnamon, and cloves. The dark red liquor is a visual delight, while the teasing fragrance of cardamom and other spices makes this a great tea to start your mornings with.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This chai is one that I was really excited to try! I can’t recall ever having tried an Oolong chai before! And even better – this is a Darjeeling Oolong Chai!
And it’s a really tasty Darjeeling Oolong Chai!
The spices are not as aggressive as you might find in a typical black tea chai blend. An enchantingly warm combination of cinnamon, cloves and cardamom, the spices are comforting and cozy without presenting too strong a spice flavor. It’s there – it’s strong enough to be tasted but not so strong that it overpowers the notes of the Darjeeling Oolong (which is one of my favorite types of Oolong tea).
The Darjeeling Oolong has a really lovely texture to it that’s soft and silky. I like the way the spices taste with this silky texture. It’s quite luxurious tasting. There are some hints of fruity notes to the Oolong tea: sweet and slightly grape-like. These add a compelling element to the cup, a flavor that I’m not quite used to with a chai blend. I also taste the slightly woodsy notes of the tea and the earthy elements and these complement the spices in a pleasant way.
With later infusions (this IS an Oolong and I want to get those extra infusions out of it!) I found that the spice notes tapered somewhat. The second infusion was still pleasantly spiced, but with the third and fourth infusion, the spices began to wane. The Oolong was still very pleasant and it’s certainly worthwhile to infuse this several times to enjoy the many layers of flavor that this tea has to offer!
A really enjoyable and unique chai! This is a tea that Oolong enthusiasts as well as chai lovers would enjoy! I highly recommend giving it a try!
2014 Castleton Maharaja First Flush from Darjeeling Tea Lovers
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Darjeeling Tea Lovers
Tea Description:
Castleton Maharaja is one tea which we are sure you will not want to miss. After recording THE WORLD MOST EXPENSIVE TEA last season, they are back again with a BIG BANG!!!
Everything about this tea is perfect to make it a wonderful First Flush Tea. The dry leaves are well rolled and fine sorted. The initial appearance is very bright. When brewed for 4 minutes, it gives a beautiful bright yellow cup. The aroma will remind you that THIS IS A CASTLETON TEA, a very peach like sweetness with high flowery notes which tempts to have a sip immediately. The flavour is also very smooth, it starts and finishes very well. There is no sign of ‘harshness’ all you feel is a sweet floral flavour which lingers into your mouth for long. The aftertaste is very energetic and a bouquet of floral tone to it.
This tea has raised the standards of our First Flush Catalogue. Without any doubt, this qualifies for becoming the BENCHMARK TEA this season. A must have for every tea connoisseur.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a really delightful tea! Then again, I’m not surprised. I’ve yet to be disappointed by any tea that I’ve tried from Darjeeling Tea Lovers!
To steep this tea, I used my Breville One-Touch tea maker. I measured 2 bamboo scoops of tea into the basket and then poured 500ml of freshly filtered water into the jug of the tea maker. I set the timer for 2 1/2 minutes and the temperature for 195°F. Then I let the tea maker do it’s thing, and when I returned a few minutes later, I had a pot of tea ready to enjoy.
The brewed tea is a light yellowish amber color and has a vibrant scent of peaches and flowers. It’s a very inviting aroma.
And I’m happy to say that the aroma translates to the brewed tea! This Castleton Maharaja has an amazing peach flavor that melds beautifully with floral notes. Sometimes a tea’s floral essence can be a tad bit sharp but that isn’t the case with this tea. It’s so smooth and sweet. Not sharp or bitter. There is very little astringency to this cup. There is a slight dryness to the aftertaste which follows a really lovely sweetness. The dryness seems to cleanse the palate a little, readying it for the next sip. This is a tea that keeps you sipping, and it tastes so good that you don’t want to stop!
The sip begins with a sweet note that evokes a thought of a lightly sugared peach. The peach flavors develop as the sip progresses and continue into the aftertaste. As I reach mid-sip, I notice notes of flower and a slight woodsy tone in the distance. The overall sip is very crisp and light and beautifully sweet. It has that bubbly light flavor that you expect from a Darjeeling tea, but it’s much smoother than you might expect.
I am loving this Castleton Maharaja from Darjeeling Tea Lovers. It seems like every time I try one of their teas, I’m bowled over with how good it is. This company is one you should definitely try, especially if you’re one who is as fond of Darjeeling teas as I am. You won’t be disappointed by anything in their collection!