Organic Darjeeling Goomtee

I just got back from errands, and I could use some cooling off with iced tea, but I can feel a caffeine deprivation headache coming on so I decided to have a cup of hot tea first. I really like this Darjeeling a lot! It has a very nice complexity to it. In one sip, I can taste notes of fruit, nut, and honey. Yum.

Here is a link to the review I wrote of this tea:

http://sororitea.wordpress.com/2010/06/03/darjeeling-goomtee-from-leafspa/

Yesterday morning, after nearly a week without any tea at all, I braved the heat and made a cup of Darjeeling Goomtee. Just a single cup. Every time I thought about resteeping, I couldn’t bring myself too. I only actually drank 3/4 of the cup warm. The rest I walked away from and came back to and drank cooled later on. This time I increased the steeping time by 30 seconds. I think it came out a bit too strong for me, muddied yet over emphasized flavors. It may have also been the heat. I’m sure I will retry it again at some point in the future but for now I think I like it steeped at four minutes.

I think I prefer this tea steeped at 4 min for the 1st steep.

Since I liked it quite a bit, this morning I decided to have Darjeeling Goomtee again. I tried steeping it 30 seconds less. It was noticeably weaker. I drank it, but I don’t think I’ll be steeping it less than 4 minutes again. Oddly, the 2nd steep was almost too weak to be drinkable. I drank it anyways.

I noticed LeafSpa’s description of the taste earlier after posting my first note. "A light honey muscatel flavor and a balanced nutty briskness linger as a delightful aftertaste. " A balanced nutty briskness could definitely describe the lovely full taste that starts in the middle of each sip and carries on til the end. I like this component of the tea. It adds more to it rather than just being a good florally black.

I had planned to drink a green mid-day. Not one of the new LeafSpa ones, just something from my cupboard to get a bit more tea but be able to drink it mindlessly. I’ll want to pay attention for the new LeafSpa greens. But after two less than satisfying cups of this, I found myself over tea-ed oddly.

2nd steep: 6 min.

Backlogging. Last Wednesday morning.

Short note. Drank this in the morning before, with, or after breakfast. As yummy good as the first time.

PS I hate you heat! I am drinking practically no tea at all. I miss tea. But it’s too hot for tea. And I’m not fond of ice tea. Though I might be driven to try cold brewing something (but what?!) by shear desperation to have some tea and because the concept intrigues me. So a few more backlogged tealogs from last week coming, then a single cup of black tea this morning that I didn’t even resteep. Did I mention I hate the heat?

PPS My surly cat is sleeping on the husband’s desk chair with his head hanging off the edge and one paw stretched out into the air. SO cute. If I had a digital camera, I’d post a photo for ya’ll.

2nd steep: 6 min.

The breakfast mug of tea backlog. Three days ago.

Yum Yum! I’ve started using slightly more leaf than I used to for my standard sized mugs. It makes for a stronger and more flavorful mug of tea. I don’t think I’m going back to less. Again, no resteep.

Backlogging.

I had a single steep of the lovely Darjeeling Goomtee on a day that involved too many unplanned naps when I had too much to do.

I had a mug of Darjeeling Goomtee this evening around 6pm, which is rather late for me to be drinking a black tea. But it was storming, I had just gotten over a headache, and I was feeling tired. So I allowed myself one.

I’ve been increasing the amount of tea leaf I use lately with enjoyable results. In my supposedly 8oz mugs, except they aren’t 8oz mugs. Since realizing this, I’ve measured the amount of water I usually put in them and am finding more are 10-12oz, with some of the pottery ones being much bigger. I am measuring mugs as I go and adjusting the amount of leaf accordingly, also with enjoyable results. I do tend to prefer my teas on the lighter side and the lower end of steeping times, but this change just seems to bring out the flavor more rather that producing the result of a longer steep. So there will be some small text at the bottom of my posts to aid in the memorization of the approximate volumes of my small collection of about a dozen mugs by repeat writings and readings of the information. Ignorable by all ya’ll, as it is just for my usage.

I also remember reading that darjeelings may like a slightly lower temperature than is normally used for black teas. So I tried steeping tonight at 200° F instead of my usual 205° F that I use for black teas and tisanes.

This mug was smoother and fuller than I remember this darjeeling being with the typical darjeeling taste being more toward the end of the sip. As it cooled, a more darjeeling flavor came through. I really like how this mug came out and it will prolly make me want to reach for this tea more. I’m interested to try A&D’s Napal like this now. I may also try an even lower water temperature of 195° F.

2nd steep: 6 min.
Went to my husband when he woke up before going on night shift. He was running late so I forget to ask him how he liked it. I believe this is the first time he’s had this tea.

Like a lower water temperature for this one. Also, 4 min seems to be the preferred time for the 1st steep.

^{Dark blue pottery mug = nearly 12oz. One and a half even teaspoons.}

Here comes the second set of backlogs.

So I woke up wanting darjeeling that morning. I used a lower water temperature than I ever have with this tea. I liked it and think I’ll continue to do so.

2nd steep: 6 min.

Backlogging. Early Monday evening.

I gave the first steep to my husband when he woke up to go on night shift. Then decided I needed a bit of a perk up so I steeped the second one up and drink it. Yum.

Backlogging.

This Darjeeling Goomtee is definitely good at a lower water temperature than boiling. It does seem like I always like teas more the more I get on with them.

2nd steep: 6 min.

Backlogging. Wednesday morning.

I wanted something more delicate and more complex. I also tried steeping using a lower water temperature, which I think I like. Although, I can’t put my finger on why.

2nd steep: 6 min.

Backlogging.

This is good. As always. =)

2nd steep: 6 min.