teabird

teabird drank Darjeeling The First Flush by Lupicia

This has been growing on me. For one thing, the dry leaves are really pretty – having read up a bit on Darjeelings, I am no longer baffled by the green and silver tips and general range of oxidation visible. Sharp and flavorful and pretty smooth, drinkable plain when I don’t steep it too hot or too long. Sometimes chocolatey, but definitely has the muscatel thing. Bumping the rating on this because it is tasty, and drinkable plain, and yields at least two steeps.

2010-05-03 20:54:47 -0400

190 °F / 87 °C

3 min 0 sec

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Some notes on ratings:

I’d have separate rating scales for tea types if that were possible (probably Black, Flavored Black, Darjeeling/Dark Oolong, White/Green/Light Oolong, and Herbal) because the flavors and quality markers are just too different. A flavored black rated 100 isn’t better than every oolong I’ve ever drunk, just delicious for a flavored black.

Ratings are a combination of my enjoyment and the perceived quality – I do often demote teas a few points for artificial flavorings, small quantity of steeps supported, or weakness of flavor (requiring extra leaf).

I pay less attention to the number than the order of my ratings; I don’t necessarily keep a stock of everything rated 80+, but if two breakfast blends are rated 82 and 84 I consistently enjoy the 84 more.

And in case it’s not obvious? I am not an expert. I don’t even know what I like until I taste it sometimes, but I’m ok with that :) I like learning to like new teas, as well as enjoying the comfort of familiar ones.