Country of Origin: India
Leaf Appearance: small, varied shades of green
Ingredients: black tea
Steep time: 3 minutes
Water Temperature: 180 degrees
Preparation Method: Teavana Perfect Steeper
Liquor: gold
Although usually categorized as a black tea, first flush Darjeeling can behave like a green tea in disguise. This one from Happy Earth Tea was some of the greenest that I’ve had. Arya is one of my favorite estates so I was really looking forward to digging (or sipping) in. It was fruity, floral and just a touch vegetal with a pleasant, brisk astringency. The classic muscatel taste you would expect from Darjeeling was present but subtle. I didn’t find it bitter at all but be careful about your steep times. I think any longer than three minutes might not yield such a nice cuppa. I resteeped this a second time so that I could take a travel mug to go and it was just as tasty as the first. Icing Darjeeling isn’t something that I usually do but something tells me that this one would be quite good that way.
Arya Black sample provided by Happy Earth Tea.