Darjeeling tea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other teas grown in Darjeeling, see Darjeeling tea (disambiguation).
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| Type: | Black |
| Other names: | The Champagne of Teas |
| Origin: | Darjeeling, India |
| Quick description: | Fruity and spicy. |
Darjeeling tea has traditionally been prized above all other black teas, especially in the UK and the countries comprising the former British Empire. It comes from Darjeeling in West Bengal, India. In recent years a high percentage of top quality Darjeeling tea has been bought by Japanese consumers at relatively high prices. When properly brewed it yields a thin-bodied, light-colored liquor with a floral aroma and somewhat astringent, tannic characteristics, and a spiciness often referred to by tea connoisseurs as muscatel.
Adulteration and falsification are serious problems in the global tea trade; the amount of tea sold as Darjeeling worldwide every year exceeds 40,000 tonnes, while the annual tea production of Darjeeling itself is estimated at only 8,000 to 11,000 tonnes, including local consumption. To combat this situation, the Tea Board of India administers the Darjeeling certification mark and logo.
[edit] Varieties
- 1st Flush is harvested in mid-March following spring rains, it has a gentle and very light color and aroma.
- 2nd Flush is harvested in June and produces an amber and more astringent cup.
- Autumnal Flush is harvested in the autumn after the rainy season, and has a somewhat less delicate flavour and less spicy tones.
Tea harvested in the summer (or rainy season) is sometimes sold at lower prices.
