Most of the time I can’t tell much difference between Darjeeling and Nepalese teas. I’m just not that familiar with them even though I always enjoy them. This one though, maybe it is because it is autumn flush or maybe it is the estate but this is the first time I get why some people are obsessed with Darjeelings.
The dry leaf looks like fall, which is somehow comforting on this miserably cold day. The scent is tobacco, then cocoa. Followed by a range of notes I can’t pull together long enough to grasp but at this point its sort of mint, orange, citrus, and candy.
I steeped for 3 1/2 minutes at 200F. It could have gone longer and hotter but I erred on the side of caution. Kind of light in color. The wet leaf is juicy grape followed by woodsy and a hint of chocolate.
This is mellow with only a light briskness and no bitterness. The flavor is grape, but it isn’t straight up grape. It is fuller like there is a hit of citrus backing it up. This is followed the woodsy leaf taste with just a hint of chocolate. As that fades the grape rises up again and remains in the lingering aftertaste.
Oh wow, this sounds really delicious!