From regular tea drinkers, to health enthusiasts, tea connoisseurs and ‘chai-sits,’ everyone who has ever had a cup of tea would know about Darjeeling. The Indian city of Darjeeling in West Bengal is known for its Champagne of Teas. With its subtle yet unique blend of flavors, Darjeeling Teas manage to woo everyone. The region offers some of the best tea flavors around the globe.
Originally, the region was only associated with black teas, but Darjeeling has evolved to become a leading producer of a wide variety of teas. While Black tea is grown in three seasons and harvested all over the year, the region is also known for nurturing Autumn Teas, First Flush and Second Flush Teas along with the sophisticated Oolong and White Teas.
If you are interested in trying special blend of teas from Darjeeling, then these are some of the flavors that you could begin with-
Autumn Teas:
Harvested during the season of ‘fall,’ Autumn Teas is a specialty from Darjeeling. They are perfect if you want something robust and can be accompanied with healthy, scrumptious snacks. Autumn Teas are known for their rarity and are perfect for enjoying at night by the fireplace or for sophisticated dinner parties.
Second Flush Darjeeling Tea:
Entertain your guests with the Second Flush of Tea . This tea variety from Darjeeling is known for its vintage scent and aromatic flush. It’s called ‘Second Flush,’ because it is harvested during the month of June, when the leaves are ready to produce amber, full bodied flavor, as opposed to First Flush Darjeeling Tea, which is popular for their gentle, light color aroma. The Muscatel flavor of this tea makes it perfect for tea enthusiasts. It’s partly spicy and has darker tones.
Darjeeling Oolong:
Made from finely plucked leaves, the Oolong Tea from Darjeeling is quite different from its Chinese counterparts. It is known for its lighter tone, when compared to the first flush teas and offers a light orange-green color when steeped. The second flush of oolong is dark orange in liquor. This tea is known for its slight flowery taste, which differentiates it from the rest. If you are fond of teas that are sweet to the tongue while offering a delicate aroma, then this is the perfect option.
White Tea:
White Tea from Darjeeling is usually flurry and a very mild flavor, which makes it perfect for those who want the benefits of tea without the spicy tastes. Containing large amount of antioxidants and nutrients that provide cancer protection, white tea is known for its mellow taste and a hint of sweetness. If a cup of golden color tea is what you fancy, then this is the tea for you!
Make sure that you try these teas. Try first flush if you want something light color, mild astringency and aroma, second flush for muscatel flavors and full body, autumn flush for delicate flavor and darker tones and monsoon flush if you want to use the tea for masala chai.
