4 Tasting Notes
Assam-like, but less strong, less malty, and with a lighter color in the cup.
Despite being labeled as broken, there are larger leaf fragments (up to 1cm), and a touch of green remains in some leaves.
Given the appearance, I was hoping for more flowery notes, but could not detect much of that.
Preparation
A very typical, strong, second flush darjeeling. It is selected from possible different gardens each year to have a constant flavor without any special “garden-aroma” like muscatel, extra-flowery, …
Therefore it is a good introductory tea to start an exploration into 2nd flush darjeeling nuances.
Has a strong enough flavor to go alongside some food (breadrolls or cookies, not a barbecue) without the aroma getting completely overshadowed.
Preparation
Still my overall favorite. This is the tea where, on tasting the first cup, or even just catching the fragrance during steeping, or even just watching the leaves unfurl in a glass teapot, I most often get that “all the problems in the world just vanished” feeling.
I can’t figure out why the aroma is often described as “like fresh bread”, though I have to admit that I lack the words to describe it. Certainly flowery, but there’s this special summer-oolong taste that for me is without equal.
A nice thing about this tea is that it does not care about water quality (as long as it is boiled) or how long you steep it – it’s a true “self-drinker”.
I’ve not tried multiple steepings yet.
Preparation
This used to be my favorite tea while studying computer science in Berlin. Rather expensive for a student, so I saved money and only bought it on special occasions.
To my delight, I discovered that the tea is still available more than 20 years later.
It is a blend, and the taste is mostly 2nd flush Darjeeling, with very noticeable flowery Formosa Oolong notes. The Assam note is very light – it just adds some background aroma.
All in all, the taste is not as intensive as I remember it from long ago – as if the Oolong amount has been reduced somewhat. Of course, I now drink better quality teas than in student times, so maybe it suffers somewhat in comparison. Still a really good black tea.
Edit: found an old price list from the late eighties, and there this blend is described as “finest Darjeeling, Fancy Oolong and Kenya” – so the blend has definitely changed in that the Kenya was exchanged for Assam.
