Darjeeling

This is an alright tea, but very touchy. I had a wonderful cup a few days ago. It was smooth and light, with a honey note on the end.
Today I prepared a cup the same way as before, and it turned out so bitter and horrid, that I poured it down the drain.

Not a very exciting day of tea today. This is not brilliant, but the best I could come up with. I am still hoping to find a black tea that doesn’t need milk and comes in tea bags, because it makes it easier to take into work. Posh teabags are expensive butat some point I will have to try them

This is the only tea you will ever see me time the brewing of precisely. I’ve admittedly ruined many a cup by forgetting to set a timer for 5 minutes, and employing my usual “make it, set it down to cool to a drinkable temp, and walk away, sometimes forgetting it for upwards of 20 minutes” method. Beyond 5 minutes, it gets so bitter as to be utterly unenjoyable. But, at 5 minutes, it makes a good cup.

And this is about my 4th cup of tea today. It’s just been THAT kind of day, apparently…

I really need to figure out how to work that hot pot.
This went bitter very quickly, but I’m eating Nutella and watching The Avengers; it’s not really a big deal.

This is a powerful Darjeeling that can also be used as an industrial degreaser or paint stripper.

Well, OK, not really. But the cup I brewed…well, it kind of feels like a punishment because it’s so bitter and astringent, but has very little actual tea flavour. It just tastes like regret and disappointment with an odd whiff of petrol at the end.

I suspect this tea is much better with milk and sugar to cut the bitterness and astringency. But I’m just going to pour this down the drain and hope it unclogs my kitchen sink. Still, it is a classic tea from a venerable brand, so I shall defer to centuries of tea drinkers who seem to love this and say it’s not a bad tea, it’s just not for me.

A tea bag from Madeline, thank you!

Ah well, I don’t recall when I had Darjeeling for last time and moreover tea bag! Of course I was sceptical; but actually it is quite good.

I mean… decent and expected from tea bag. It is quite highly tannic, and somehow generic black tea flavours. Bold even after two minutes steeping, though they suggest three.

There is some note that I am not able to say simple descriptor of. It’s freshness, but not in minty way. Some kind of light notes, but not the florals. I noticed it only in Twinings Darjeeling (I recall I had it earlier for sure, but not US version).

Anyway, finished my cup and it gave me so needed caffeine boost (I am becoming addicted or what?!).

I love this tea in the early evening with a cookie :) While I am still stuck at home due to the coronavirus, I have been lucky enough to keep working, but I have been drinking too much wine and watching too much TV. I am switching to a cup of tea and a good book after work. Because Darjeeling has a lower caffeine content than some of the heartier morning brews, it is a great choice for later in the day. I realize that not everyone cares for this blend, but I have been drinking Twining’s teas for 30 plus years and I still love them, especially this one. I wish their China Black were still available. Have a great evening, everyone, and cheers.

Life has been busy with work & travel for the fast few weeks, but I’m finally able to get back to relaxing with my tea…
I have vague memories of drinking this tea a long time ago & finding it light, delicate and fragrant – a lovely morning cuppa.
Then I tried a teabag that was lurking in my tea caddy from travels unknown, & … dark liquor, very little fragrance. Boy was I disappointed!
Realising the tea’s age was probably a factor, I decided I should give it another try.
How fortuitous that my lovely T2 gift with purchase blue china cup & saucer just arrived. I have tried one cup of my favourite Tamborine Tea Russian Caravan in it, but it was just wrong for that teacup. Equally, I couldn’t imagine a robust English or Irish Breakfast in it. I still drink these out of china, not stoneware, but from a mug, not a teacup.
I needed something fragrant & delicate, but my relationship with Earl Grey is still a little rocky (due to overexposure by an Earl Grey fanatic flatmate), so luckily I remembered I had bought a 100g tin of Twinings Darjeeling loose leaf tea. Perfect!
I noticed the difference between this & my usual black teas as soon as I opened the tin – there were lighter specks combined with the usual black CTC, & the aroma was more delicate, with faint whiffs of caramel & grass.
I brewed for 3 mins (recommended 2-5) & the brew was lovely & fragrant, with an attractive amber liquor. I know NEVER to do this to a first flush Darjeeling, but I added a dash of milk to the cup as I still struggle with drinking black teas without it.
The result – a much more delicate cuppa than my usual strong & often smoky blacks. The taste is subtle, with a little sweet grassiness & some very light malty caramel, but as the weather is rapidly warming here, a lighter taste is a good choice except at breakfast.
I had a second cup brewed for 5 mins & was surprised that despite being obviously stronger, there wasn’t a lot of bitterness there. However I don’t think it change the balance of flavours much so I’d go for the shorter brew time as a preference.
All-in-all there is something about drinking the right tea using a beautiful china cup & saucer that just lifts the whole experience. So, unless I find something even better, this is my morning tea cuppa combination.
Now, if I can overcome my Earl Grey phobia, I can have an afternoon cuppa in my teacup too!

NOTE – I have read some Steepster reviews since writing mine & I can’t say I experienced some of the negatives, like lots of fine dust in the bottom of the cup etc…

I thought it would taste good, after all it has been considered the champagne of teas. It tastes bland. Thought I added too much water. Steeped longer then. Aha… still bland. Quite disappointing.

This tea is decent tea. It is not spectacular but it is tasty. And for the price I paid it is better than I was expecting. It’s got a nice flavor, not sure if you would call it muscatell like an expensive Darjeeling. In any case it is good enough to drink again.

I steeped this one time in a 16oz Teavana Glass Perfect Tea Maker/Gravity Steeper with 3 tsp leaf and 200 degree water for 2 minutes. The leaves of this tea are very very fine so I guessed it would steep fast and gave it less time.