Darjeeling Discussions: What are YOU drinking?

An open discussion about Darjeelings so that those who love them can post here, and those who have yet to try them can explore and learn here. Welcome and we look forward to the sharing!

27 Replies
bizbee1 said

I tried this twice, lets hope 3rd time is the charm. I wanted to say I had some at someone’s office this am. I bring the bagged tea with me. Darjeeling is tough it doesn’t stand up to very HOT or microwaved water well. I got it right this time using their hot faucet on the water cooler. Lovely little floral aroma and a light but bright tea.

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Ag select said

I had some Biodynamic Darjeeling from The Tea Merchant earlier today. According to their description, it’s from the Makaibari estate, first flush, but I couldn’t find which year it was from.

I think this is the third Darjeeling I’ve ever had. The first was from years ago and I remember thinking it was okay. The second was a sample of Castleton Moonlight Oolong or something last year. I remember liking it, but not enough to compel me to immediately place an order.

Anyway, I didn’t really take notes of it as I was drinking it earlier today, but I did enjoy it and resteeped it another time. Couldn’t taste anything apple-y like the other notes mentioned, but it was a nice, comforting brew with a light astringency near the end. I definitely do want to explore more Darjeelings eventually (pu’er and a few aged oolongs are mostly taking up my attention at the moment).

Where do you all get your Darjeelings? I’ve heard of Thunderbolt, TeaBox, and Mariage Freres as good sources for them.

boychik said

Upton has sample sizes just to have an idea which ones you would like.
I like Harney. They dont have a lot, but it makes easier for me. Also its local to me

Golden Tips Tea has a lot of Darjeelings. They also have a subscription program for 10 grams of 10 different teas a month for $99 a year. Tea Box is similar too.

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I’ve already learned so much from the discussion here and on the older thread! I always assumed that the tea purveyors would give the best steep times and water temps so that you’d like the tea and want to buy more! Apparently that’s not the case!

Thank you for starting this thread. I’m new to Darjeeling myself and have a lot to learn!

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Earlier today I had a glass of Autumn Flush Margaret’s Hope from Norbu and then a bit later a glass of Arya Ruby Second Flush from Golden Tips.

I do believe that I prefer second and Autumn to first flush darjeelings. I wonder whether the first flush is celebrated just because we are culturally obsessed with “firstness”. I mean, is there any reason why it should be considered better????

What do you think?

boychik said

I prefer SF and Autumn too. FF is too finicky, and im not that crazy about green notes

mj said

I actually prefer the “fresher” taste of first flushes as opposed to what I think of as the “darker” taste I find in second and autumn flushes. I enjoy the similarities to white teas.

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Excelsior said

Spring Darjeelings offer complexities in flavor and taste that cannot be realized in the second and third flushes even if from the same estate. There is also a tremendous gap in terms of flavor depending on the retailer even if “they state” sourcing from the same estate and same flush. I have said this before and I will say it again. When it comes to Spring Flush Darjeelings, Mariage Freres is the Gold Standard. The FF Castleton of 2010, the FF Moondakotee of 2011, the Namring of 2012 were all exceptional in taste from Mariage Freres. Tried the same tea, the same estate, the same flush, the same year from other retailers and they all tasted flat and uninteresting. Had I not tried the teas from Mariage Freres, I would still be thinking FF Darjeeling as unitetesting and over rated.

As for steeping times it is different for every single tea and the preparation tips from Mariage reflects this. 2011 FF Castleton optimal steeping time, 3 minutes. 2012 FF Castleton optimal steeping time 2 minutes. This variance will be found depending on the year for Ambootia, Namring, Margaret’s Hope etc. So I don’t believe a blanket steeping parameter can be applied to all Darjeelings of the same flush.

These are just my opinions and I don’t work for Mariage Freres.

Can you buy Darjeeling from past years?

Excelsior said

Each year Mariage Freres will set aside the best pickings from the First Flush and label it as Vintage. The amount is limited, they don’t advertise it, and you won’t find information on it on their website, but I know they have it. I was buying their Vintage 2012 Castleton throughout 2013 because I did not like the first flush Darjeelings from that year. 2013 and even this year, the Darjeeling region has been hit be severe drought.

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I am having a virgin emerald green darjeeling FTGFOP1 (2013)
Never tried a green darjeeling before, it’s nice, with a surprising complex aftertaste. Need to get used to green darjeelings though, they would not be my first option for green, i prefer the deep, vegetal, almost spinach-like taste of Sencha or Guyokuro, but will not be narrouw-minded and will give green darjeelings a try.

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I’m having Whittard of Chelsea’s Darjeeling. It’s certainly a blend, but has great notes of hay, muscadine, and flora that I love. I usually go for something heavier in the morning, but today this one hit the spot.

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mj said
Margaret’s Hope First Flush Darjeeling by Tealux this morning. Pleasant but not amazing. FF 4eva ;-)

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I am waiting for some darjeeling samples to come in the mail so I can begin my education in darjeelings….. for you experienced drinkers of darjeelings out there: are there notes that are “typical” for darjeelings? Assams have malt, Keemuns have loam, Yunnans have yams….. do darjeelings just have muscatel or is there more?

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Anlina said

I’ve been exploring Darjeelings a bit more, and I find them interesting and curious.

I always hear that muscatel and floral notes are characteristic of Darjeeling, and those are often there, but I’m finding another common thread that I don’t see others mention. A note that’s a bit hard to identify, but comes out as minerals, ash or char often.

Does anyone else get this in Darjeelings? I’ve been steeping them mostly at 80C for 2min, so I don’t think I’m scalding the tea. I don’t recall noticing this flavour when I was steeping Darjeelings like other black teas, but I didn’t actually like them very much steeped for longer at higher temps either.

Today’s cup is Margaret’s Hope, 2nd Flush Muscatel from Tealux.

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