Darjeeling tea (oolong)
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| Type: | Oolong |
| Other names: | NA |
| Origin: | Darjeeling, India |
| Quick description: | Chocolatey Oolong, charectaristic of teas from the region. |
Darjeeling Oolong is basically imitated from formossan (Taiwan) Oolong. The first experiment was made by Sumon Majumder of HMP group along with one of his tea friends Mr. Karel Theima of Rotterdam Tea Trade in 1991 at Namring Tea Estate in Darjeeling. The experiment took place for two weeks in the presence of Garden manager Mr. B. C. Tiwari. Mr. Sumon Majumder took some technical help from Mr. Theima and Tiwari and ultimately succeeded to make the tea similar to Taiwan oolong and named it "Darjeeling Oolong". Mr. Sumon Majumder the Tea Expert from an eminent tea Family was personally not very happy with his first experiment but the tea was sold to Haelssen & Lyon of Germany at 40.00 DM per kilo. Later on Mr. Sumon Majumder made more of this type of tea in Singbulli and Balasun as well as in Poobong Tea Estate. Darjeeling Oolong has two distinct characters, one is Clonal type and the other is China type. China type is more similar to Taiwan Oolong and Clonal type is totally different from it. Now most of the garden is making Darjeeling Oolong following the methods of Mr. Sumon Majumder the eminent tea taster and manufacturer of Darjeeling teas.
Darjeeling Oolong is lighter than usual Darjeeling black tea as during First Flush, the process is called semi fermenting. The cup looks light orange and infusion remains green. Darjeeling Oolong in second flush is more accepted worldwide. It is more thick in cup and dark orange in liquor with distinct Muscatel flavours. The China type oolong has very rare muscatel flavour and sells something around USD 40.00 to 200.00 per kilo. Clonal Oolong has distinct flowery or spicy taste and not much accepted as Darjeeling Oolong Worldwide.
All Darjeeling Gardens are not qualified to produce Darjeeling Oolong maintaining all the factors. Gardens with the following conditions are capable of making Darjeeling Oolong as per the theory of Sumon Majumder. 1. Altitude (High Altitude at 3000ft above sea level) is required. 2. Old China bush (Chesima) concentration should be there. At least 40% of total tea growing area. 3. Clonal type (AV II) is required.at least 25% at high altitude. (Like Tingling Division Of Singbulli tea Estate) 3. Area should not absorb too much heat during any time of the season. 4. Average temperature should remain 5 degrees to 20 degrees throughout the season. Lower Elevation garden can only make the look but they will be far away in flavour which is the main characteristics of Oolong tea. Lower elevation Oolong can be considered as fake darjeeling oolong.
Darjeeling Oolong teas are made from finely plucked leaves usually two leaf and a bud and sometimes withered naturally in sun and air. The withered leaves get hand-rolled and pan-fired at certain temperature. This can also be done in machine. Withered in trough, light rolled in rolling machine and fired at 220 degrees in Quality Drier with faster run-through depending on the leaves that has been used.
