Most of the time, I try to review teas that you can buy, should you feel so inclined. Today’s tea, unfortunately, is already sold out. But I’m going to taunt you with my review anyway.

Margaret’s Hope is a tea estate in Darjeeling, India. This is their hand-rolled, special grade 2nd flush tea, a spectacular white tea boasting huge, lush leaves. And I mean seriously huge. Some of the leaves stretch for about two inches. No broken leaves here.

Can you tell I’m impressed?

Besides boasting a magnificent size, the leaves are an attractive mixture of rustic brown and downy white. Dry, they have a wonderfully fruity aroma, reminding me of mango.

The tea infuses into a golden liquor. On the first infusion, I find the tea quite savoury, with a drying mouthfeel (something I note with many Darjeelings) and a mild hint of something sweeter (again, mango comes to mind). It is the second infusion that really impresses me: it’s balanced more delicately between sweet and savoury, as if to gather the best of both worlds. A lovely little hint of dark chocolate emerges. Pleasant drinking, to put it mildly.

As mentioned, this tea isn’t available anymore. Still, if you’re in the mood for some high quality Darjeeling tea, head on over to Thunderbolt Tea and tempt yourself with their excellent collection of Darjeelings. You can also check out the collection of Darjeeling teas listed in the Tea Marketplace.

ps. Lest anyone accuse me of heinous crimes, let me clarify that this tea was a free sample sent to me by Thunderbolt Tea.

© Eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2010. | Margaret’s Hope Hand Rolled Special Grade 2009, Darjeeling 2nd Flush from Thunderbolt Tea | 3 comments |
Post categories: Tea reviews, White tea
Post tags: Darjeeling, Darjeeling 2nd flush, Darjeeling white tea, Margaret's Hope Estate, Thunderbolt Tea

Chocolate.

That was the first thing that came to mind when I opened this packet of Sungma Clonal Wonders ’09, a 2nd flush Darjeeling tea sent to my by Benoy of Thunderbolt Tea. I was amazed at how clear and distinct the aroma was.

That was a few weeks ago. Since then, I have been drinking this black tea on a regular basis. To me, it seems like a middle-of-the-road sort of Darjeeling tea ? it exhibits some characteristic Darjeeling traits, with a few noteworthy aspects, but in some ways I come away feeling a little disappointed that it doesn’t live up to the promise offered by its aroma.

The leaves are an attractive bunch, matching the aroma. White tips are interspersed with bronzed leaves. Later, after inspecting the wet leaves, I find a few stems, but for the most part it’s a consistent batch. I am surprised though at the amount of broken leaves, something I wouldn’t expect in a tea classified as SFTGFOP1. There are a handful of full bodied leaves, but there are more broken leaves.

The liquor is a coppery orange. In characteristic Darjeeling fashion, the tea has a sharp, biting quality, like the skin of a grape. This is the point at which I find myself a little disappointed with this tea. It has the basic characteristics I’ve come to expect from a good Darjeeling, but I don’t find it exceptional. Contrast that with the Giddapahar Musk from Thunderbolt Tea I reviewed earlier this year, which was remarkable for its smoothness, depth and musky flavour. The Sungma Clonal Wonders is smooth, but I’m struggling to find as much depth in it as I did in Giddapahar Musk.

Sunga Clonal Wonders ’09 was available from Thunderbolt Tea, but has now been sold out.

© Eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Sungma Clonal Wonders 2009, 2nd Flush Black Tea from Darjeeling | No comment |
Post categories: Black tea, Tea reviews
Post tags: Darjeeling, Sungma Estate, Thunderbolt Tea

Those of you who have been following this blog for some time will know that I have a soft spot for teas from Darjeeling. A while ago, I received a wonderful bundle of teas from Benoy, the benevolent man behind Thunderbolt Tea, a Darjeeling-based tea vendor. I’ve been following Benoy on Twitter, and one thing that is very clear to me is how much work goes into picking the best teas each season.

Today’s tea, a lovely 2009 2nd Flush from Giddapahar Estate ? the tea is nicknamed Giddapahar Musk ? is a testament to Benoy’s great taste. I find it a wonderfully refined tea, with a rich sweet aroma. Second flush Darjeeling teas are renowned for their distinctive muscatel flavour, a flavour which is very dominant here. With that muscatel comes astringency, though it’s quite tame in comparison with some of the other Darjeeling teas I have tasted.

I first tried this tea about a month ago, and I have enjoyed it regularly since. I’ve made it for friends, simply because it’s a very likable tea. As I sat drinking it this morning, struggling to put words to what I was experiencing, I realized I couldn’t. I would describe this tea as smooth, savoury, sweet, rich and deep, but that still doesn’t do justice to it. Nor does it probably give you much of an idea of what to expect!

All I will say is this: If you enjoy that characteristic Darjeeling tea, this will hit your sweet spot. And if you’ve never tried a Darjeeling, start here.

Giddapahar Musk is available from Thunderbolt Tea.

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Giddapahar Musk: 2009 2nd Flush Black Tea from Darjeeling | 3 comments |
Post categories: Black tea, Tea reviews
Post tags: Darjeeling, Giddapahar Estate, Thunderbolt Tea

Organic Darjeeling Estate Black Tea from Mighty Leaf Tea

I have just now enjoyed my first taste of 2009′s first flush Darjeelings, courtesy of Mighty Leaf Tea. This year, Mighty Leaf have chosen Mim Estate for their single-estate Darjeeling offering. It’s a great choice: Mim Estate’s first flush serves admirably as a well-rounded black tea and a great example of that quintessential Darjeeling flavour.

Long time readers of Tea Finely Brewed will know I’m a fan of Darjeelings. (If not, you might enjoy digging into my Darjeeling tea archive and reading over the series of reviews of single-estate Darjeelings I wrote earlier this year). This is my first experience with Mim Estate, which is based in the eastern reaches of the Darjeeling region. So far, I’m very pleased.

The tea came bundled in one of Mighty Leaf’s silken tea pouches. This of course simplifies the brewing process, though I must admit I still prefer the classic loose leaf approach. But these tea pouches are a wonderful option for those looking to delve deeper into the world of tea without necessarily wanting to give up the convenience of tea bags.

Anyway, back to the tea. A four minute steep brews the leaf into a dark reddish brown – “a hardy appearance”, I write in my notes. It’s a colour that suggests strength and briskness.

The colour, it turns out, doesn’t lie. This is a tea rich in tannins, with a drying mouth feel and a subdued astringency. The nose had given deep hints of grape and citrus fruits, and these are present in the flavour, though not overwhelmingly so. I am struck by the lack of sweetness in this tea; those fruit flavours lean towards tartiness rather than sweetness, the hind regions of the tongue rather than the front regions.

Organic Darjeeling Estate Black Tea is available from Mighty Leaf Tea. It costs $12.95 for a 3 oz. bag of loose leaf tea, or $9.95 for a pack of 15 pouches.

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Darjeeling First Flush 2009 from Mighty Leaf Tea | One comment |
Post categories: Black tea, Tea reviews
Post tags: Darjeeling, first flush 2009, Mighty Leaf Tea, Mim Estate

Wrapping up my week of Darjeelings, I come to the fourth sample in my cupboard: Castleton Estate’s 2006 Autumnal Flush FTGFOP1 SPL China. This is the tea I would serve to a Darjeeling novice seeking their first taste of the region’s notorious teas. It’s robust, rich in colour and, most importantly, has that classic note of muscatel. A quintessential Darjeeling.

Once again, I have Jo from Ya-Ya Teahouse to thank for this tea; and once again, I decided to follow his instructions closely. Using my ingenuiTea teapot, I infused 1.75 teaspoons in 250ml for 3 and a half minutes. As I found with the Puttabong, steeping the tea too little returns a disappointing cup, dominated by astringency. Give it at least 3 minutes 30 seconds and the astringency is balanced nicely within the tea’s flavour profile.

“Well-balanced” is the best way I can think to describe this tea. Everything fits. The brew’s coppery colour is matched by its robust flavour. The note of muscatel is complemented by the astringency.

I drink this tea and feel refreshed, energized. It doesn’t have the depth of character that the Arya Ruby does, but it’s not lacking. Well-rounded, satisfying, immaculate.

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Castleton FTGFOP1 Special China: Darjeeling Autumnal Flush 2006 | No comment |
Post categories: Black tea, Tea reviews
Post tags: autumnal flush, Castleton Estate, Darjeeling, Ya-ya Teahouse

Dry: Springside Darjeeling Autumnal Flush.

After playing around with first flush teas from Puttabong and Arya Estates, I shift focus to autumnal flush Darjeelings. First among those: Springside Estate’s autumnal flush. Year unknown.

Springside Estate is at the southern end of the Darjeeling region and has a relatively small annual output. Before seeing it in my local tea shop, Tea Leaves, I’d never heard of it.

Throughout my life, I have been someone who saves the best for last. This week, on my virtual tour of Darjeeling, I ditched that principle. After ascending the wonderful heights of the Arya Ruby, I descend to a Darjeeling that lacks the depth and character I’ve enjoyed so far this week. Not that it’s terrible: it’s just not in the same league as the Arya or the Puttabong.

Again I learned the importance of infusing a tea long enough. After 3 minutes, I poured a small cup; 40 seconds later, I poured out the remainder. The first cup was dominated by astringency – I literally could taste nothing else. But with the second cup, I was amazed at how much character the brew developed in a mere fourty seconds. The astringency had decreased, allowing the tea’s muscatel note to emerge. After the disappointment of the first cup, this second one was lovely, fruity and light.

This feels like an everyday Darjeeling. It’s got that typical muscatel flavour, and the dry leaves emit a lovely aroma of stone fruit, but there is very little depth. For the price ($7.90 AUD for 100 grams), it provides pretty decent value.

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Springside Darjeeling Autumnal Flush | No comment |
Post categories: Black tea, Tea reviews
Post tags: autumnal flush, Darjeeling, Springside Estate

Arya Ruby: Darjeeling 1st Flush 2008.

Next up in this week-long Darjeeling festival: Arya Estate’s Ruby 2008 1st flush. This is among the most visually appealing teas I have ever had the privilege of enjoying.

In its dry state, the Ruby is a blend of earthy browns and cream-coloured buds. Once steeped, the leaves unfurl into large, mostly unbroken leaves – testifying to the pain-staking effort and finesse of the tea workers at Arya Estate.

A tea cannot, of course, be judged only on looks. But the Arya Ruby qualifies its stunning appearance with a captivating flavour profile.

Again, I have Jo from Ya-ya Teahouse to thank for this wonderful tea. As with the Puttabong Clonal Exclusive I wrote about yesterday, his brewing recommendations were on the generous side: 4.5 teaspoons per 500 mil, infused for 3.5 minutes. That’s a high tea-to-water ratio, but it works splendidly. The tea brews quickly into a sharp, copper-coloured soup (to borrow a term from Hobbes).

Rich and velvety smooth, the Arya Ruby is very easy to enjoy while rewarding closer examination. It took me a few tastes before I caught the sudden burst of citrus at the tail-end, leaving the mouth with a pleasant tangy note. Like the Puttabong, the Arya Ruby is savoury with a touch of astringency, though it’s less astringent than the former.

At $54.80 NZD for 100 grams (from Ya-ya Teahouse), this isn’t a cheap tea. But it really sets the bar in terms of first flush Darjeeling teas. If you’re after the best of the best, go no further.

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Arya Ruby: Darjeeling 1st Flush 2008 | 4 comments |
Post categories: Black tea, Tea reviews
Post tags: Arya Estate, Darjeeling, Indian teas, Ya-ya Teahouse

Brewed: Darjeeling Puttabong Clonal Exclusive 1st Flush 2007.

One of the most valuable pieces of advice I’ve picked up about brewing Darjeelings is this: let them steep about 3 minutes, then check them every 30 seconds until they’re ready. Darjeelings have a nasty habit of turning very bitter, very quickly.

But you can also go too far in the opposite direction, as I discovered with this sample of Puttabong Clonal Exclusive 2007 1st flush, graciously sent my way by Jo from Ya-ya Teahouse. Tea needs enough steeping time to develop complexity and body.

This is quite a complex tea – in terms of flavour and in terms of brewing method. Earlier, I had botched the tea by brewing it with freshly boiled water, forgetting Jo’s advice that this tea needs lower temperatures to really come alive. He’s absolutely right. Using water that is too hot nips this tea in the bud (pardon the pun).

With every tea Jo sent me, he recommended using quite a bit more dry leaf than I would generally use. Here, his suggestion was to use 3.5 teaspoons of tea for half a litre of water. I opted for 3 teaspoons with slightly less water.

The composition of this tea is attractive: small and earthy with a nice percentage of white tips. I struggled to identify the aroma – it’s unique and complex, but I couldn’t pinpoint what it reminded me of.

The Dry Leaf: Darjeeling Puttabong Clonal Exclusive 1st Flush 2007.

Using water at around 75° C – I followed Jo’s suggestion more closely this time – I poured the tea at two points: one small cup after 2 minutes and 45 seconds; and another at the recommended 3 and a half minutes.

This was an eye-opener. The first cup was watery, under-developed and lacking. The extra 45 seconds allowed the tea to develop into a full-bodied, complex tea. Lesson learned: allow tea enough time to steep.

Much as I struggled to break down the dry aroma, I had a hard time picking its flavour. It’s a savoury tea, to be sure, though a subtle fruity note becomes more apparent as the tea cools. I also noted tannins, a hint of pepper and a grassy, earthy quality. There was bitterness astringency, but it wasn’t overpowering – yet. I would not let this tea steep for any longer than 3 and a half minutes.

This is a tea that requires quite a bit of brewing finesse. I’m not convinced I perfected it, but I think I got pretty close. Close enough to discover a tea that is rich, complex and unique.

This tea can be purchased through Ya-ya Teahouse for $32.60 NZD.

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Puttabong Clonal Exclusive: Darjeeling 1st Flush 2007 | 2 comments |
Post categories: Black tea, Organic tea, Tea reviews
Post tags: Darjeeling, Indian teas, Puttabong Estate, Ya-ya Teahouse

The morning cup of black tea. Photo by dragonflysky.

What is black tea, exactly?

Black tea is tea that has been fully oxidized. Like oolong, white, green and pu-erh teas, black tea is made from Camellia sinensis.

Black tea is so named because of the fact that the tea leaves, after the oxidation process is complete, have a darker appearance than other teas. The brew ranges in colour from amber to golden, depending on the type of tea and how strong it is.

To the uninitiated, black tea is synonymous with tea. But while it’s the most common tea found outside of Asia, in reality black tea is second to green tea in terms of global popularity.

In China, black tea is known as red tea, while pu-erh tea is known as black tea. Confusing hey?

Where is black tea grown?

Black tea is grown and produced just about anywhere that tea is produced. China, India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Kenya, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia – all are major producers of black tea.

Japan is notable because it produces hardly any black tea, while Taiwan puts out a small quantity of black tea which is mainly sold domestically.

What are some of the most famous types of black tea?

Chinese black teas
China’s black teas are varied and markedly different from the black teas produced elsewhere. Keemum is a fragrant, beautifully flavoured black tea coming from Anhui Province, in eastern China. Lapsang Souchong is a very dark tea with a distinctive smokey flavour, hailing from the Wuyi region of Fujian Province. In far southwest China, bordering Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, is Yunnan Province, a region of stunning scenery that produces full-flavoured black teas with a unique character.

Indian black teas
More than half of India’s teas are produced in Assam, a state in northeast India. Assam produces some high-quality tea, but much of its tea is of a lower grade, often used as the base of the well-known breakfast tea blends (English, Irish and Scottish). Darjeeling, a region of India which lies wedged between Bhutan and Nepal at an elevation of 7,100 feet, has a much lower output of tea, but makes up for it in quality. The high standard of teas from Darjeeling have given it a reputation as the Champage of Teas. The southern-most tea region of India is Nilgiri, which lies in western India in the state of Tamil Nadu. Nilgiri teas are fragrant, though the quality of teas from Nilgiri is generally not as high as those from Assam and Darjeeling.

Other famous black teas
Ceylon (Sri Lanka) is renowned for producing brisk black teas sold as single-estate teas or used in blends. Indonesia produces a large quantity of tea used in tea bags, though it has a limited output of finer loose leaf tea. In recent decades, African nations like Kenya and Tanzania have also risen to prominence as major tea producing countries.

Besides these region-specific teas, there are a multitude of black tea blends which you will undoubtedly have heard of. Besides the breakfast blends mentioned above, some of the most popular include Earl Grey (scented with bergamot oil), Lady Grey (scented with bergamot oil and blended with orange and lemon peel), Prince of Wales and Russian Caravan (usually a combination of Lapsang Souchong and Keemum or Yunnan).

What’s the best way to brew black tea?

Black tea is best brewed with freshly boiled water at around 80-90° C. Allow it to stand anywhere between 3 and 5 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea to be. Unlike the other varieties of tea, black tea is usually only good for one steeping.

Many people have their black tea with milk and/or sugar. I shy away from both of these. If the tea’s not good enough to drink on its own, I figure it’s just not good enough to drink!

What are the health benefits of drinking black tea?

There are definite health benefits to drinking black tea. Recent research has shown that black tea can improve dental health, reduce stress, improve your memory, lower cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of heart disease, inhibit Alzheimer’s disease and improve mental focus. The oxidation process means that black tea contains less of the antioxidants that green tea contains, though a study by Chinese researchers found that black tea contained more theaflavins and thearubigins, which can have anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties.

Does black tea contain caffeine?

Like every other tea produced from Camellia sinensis, black tea contains caffeine. Many people are under the impression that black tea contains more than all the other varieties of tea, though, as I have written previously, this isn’t always the case. The level of caffeine in any given cup of black tea depends on how it was produced and how long it is allowed to steep, among other things.

More on this topic: How much caffeine does green tea contain?

Where can I buy black tea online?

To begin with, check out the Tea Finely Brewed marketplace, where you can browse and compare black tea from different tea merchants.

• Numi Tea offer fair trade, organic teas, including a lovely range of black teas.
• Adagio Teas have a diverse range of black teas available, including a Black Sampler which serves as a great introduction to the world of black tea.
• Mighty Leaf Tea also have a nice range of black teas.
• Generation Tea have some unusual and rare black tea offerings, well worth trying if you’re looking for something a little different.

Other posts in this series

• Green Tea
• White Tea
• Oolong Tea
• Pu-erh Tea

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | 7 Common Questions About Black Tea | 3 comments |
Post categories: Black tea
Post tags: Assam, Beginner's Guide to Tea, caffeine content of tea, Ceylon Tea, chinese teas, Darjeeling, Earl Grey Tea, Indian teas, Indonesian teas, Keemum, Kenyan teas, Lady Grey tea, Lapsang Souchong, Nilgiri, Prince of Wales tea, Russian Caravan tea, Tanzanian teas, Tea and health, Yunnan