Darjeeling: why it is called the champagne of teas
Darjeeling is a black tea that does not behave like one. It is light, pale gold in the cup, floral and a little fruity, with a note people call muscatel, after the muscat grape. It is grown high in the foothills of the Himalayas in West Bengal and the name is protected the way champagne is. Only tea from those gardens can be called Darjeeling, which is part of why it is called the champagne of teas and part of why it costs more.
Why it tastes the way it does
Altitude. The gardens sit between about 600 and 2,000 metres, the air is cool and misty, and the plants grow slowly. Slow growth means smaller leaves with more concentrated flavour. The variety grown is mostly the Chinese type, with its smaller leaf, rather than the big leaf Assam plant, which is why Darjeeling and Assam from the same country taste nothing alike.
First flush and second flush
First flush is picked in March and April after the winter dormancy. It is the lightest, greenest and most delicate, almost like a green tea, and prized by collectors. Second flush, picked in May and June, is fuller and more amber, and this is where the muscatel note is strongest. There is also an autumn flush, rounder and simpler, which is often what goes into blends.
Ours is a classic Darjeeling with that muscatel lift. If you have only had Darjeeling from a tea bag, it will be a surprise.
How to brew it
This is the one black tea you should not brew with full boiling water. Let the kettle sit for a minute, to about 90°C, use one heaped teaspoon per 200ml, and brew for three minutes. Longer makes it astringent. A second, slightly longer steep is worth doing, since it is whole leaf.
No milk. Milk flattens everything that makes it special. A slice of lemon is fine but it does not need it.
When to drink it
Afternoon, not first thing. It is too light to wake you up and too good to rush. It suits a quiet half hour and goes well with anything buttery, scones, shortbread, a plain sponge. It is also a good tea for anyone who finds breakfast blends heavy but does not get on with green tea.
Why it costs more
Small gardens, hand picking on steep slopes, slow growth and a protected name. A 50g pouch is £10.95, which sounds dear until you count about 20 cups from it, so just over 50p a cup for one of the best teas in the world.