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November 09, 2004
Organic Darjeeling
Name: Organic Darjeeling
Kathy's Rating: 8.0/10.0
Company: Hampstead Tea & Coffee Company
Origin of tea: India
Price: ~$11/125g (4.38oz)
Tea form: Loose biodynamically grown black tea leaves
What they say: Our signature biodynamic and fairtrade Darjeeling leaf tea is a favourite for its clean, satisfying taste. It has a rich, smokey flavour with a delightful, mellow aroma. Enjoy the distinctive flavour on its own or add a splash of milk. The tea is harvested from the Makaibari tea estate in India, one of only a few owner-managed estates still in existence. The leaves are picked in the autumn when the sun is mild, imparting a gentle flavour. No artificial inputs are used at any point during farming or production. The entire system emphasises environmental responsibility.
Preparation method: Boil water and pour over tea. Steep for 3 minutes.
Review: I picked this tea up from Whole Foods Market thinking that I've never tried biodynamically grown tea before. Would the taste be better? Since I'm new to Darjeeling, I only had one other Darjeeling to compare against this one. The other Darjeeling I've tried - Twinings - I didn't like too much. See my review on it for more details. Makaibari Estate's biodynamic Darjeeling is another story. I thought this tea was so pure, clear, and non-bitter in taste that I wanted to send some to a friend who recommended that I try Darjeeling in the first place. I realize that there are probably those out there who would suggest to me that comparing Twinings tea bags against loose leaf tea is hardly a fair comparison. I will continue to acquire and taste difference Darjeelings because I agree with that sentiment. However, this tea so impressed me that I'm reluctant to drink any other Darjeeling.
Posted by Kathy at November 9, 2004 07:58 PM