This Darjeeling tea from Harney & Sons is a blend of First Flush and Autumn Flush teas. The First Flush gives it a green, floral, vegetal flavor while the Autumn Flush gives it body. It’s still a pretty light-bodied tea, though. Probably light to medium-bodied.
The steeped tea reveals delicate floral, vegetal and muscatel notes, typical for a Darjeeling. There’s also a good amount of astringency – unlike most other black teas. Also unlike other black teas, it has that vegetal, floral flavor that’s so typical of Darjeeling. There are also some woody notes and maybe a hint of fruity citrus, but absolutely no malty notes like in an Assam.
I don’t think Darjeeling black teas are technically black teas (someone correct me if I’m wrong), because they contain a mixture of leaves oxidized to different degrees like an oolong. Some of the leaves in this are bright green, some are brown and some are completely black.
I have also tried Kusmi’s Darjeeling tea which is a Second Flush. That tea is also excellent. If I remember correctly, it is a little stronger in body than this tea and with more robust flavors but it doesn’t have the green, vegetal flavors like this one does – which comes from the First Flush teas.
Overall, this is a nice Darjeeling tea with flavors typical for that region. The flavors are very delicate, and completely different than other black teas like Assams and Ceylons.
I can see why Darjeeling is called “Queen of Teas”.
I find myself drinking this tea both with and without milk.
Dry leaves, appearance:
Big, whole, curly leaves with many different colors.
Mostly bright green, brown and black.
Dry leaves, aroma:
Light floral, vegetal and woody notes. No maltiness whatsoever.
Liquor:
Medium orangish brown.
Packaging:
4 oz. loose tea tin.
Flavors: Astringent, Citrus, Floral, Muscatel, Tea, Vegetal, Wood
