Photo: Happy Earth Tea |
Country of Origin: India
Leaf Appearance: small, dark and somewhat twisted
Ingredients: black tea
Steep time: 5 minutes
Water Temperature: 212 degrees
Preparation Method: ceramic teacup and mesh infuser
Liquor: reddish amber
Happy Earth Tea has quickly become my go to source for Darjeeling tea and this second flush selection from the Sungma estate is a great example of why that is. The taste was sweet, earthy and richly complex. A warm nuttiness was accompanied by notes of fruits, florals and spice that floated in and out of the forefront with each sip. That sounds like a quite mouthful and it definitely was. It had the classic muscatel taste of a Darjeeling but in an understated way. The finish was brisk with just the right amount of astringency. It had an almost citrus-like affect. No sweeteners or milk should be added to this tea. It’s much too fine for that nonsense. I have a habit of examining my leaves after steeping and these were beautiful. They unfurled to be much larger than I would have expected. A few weeks ago I posted a review the first flush from this same estate that I also enjoyed very much. I can’t say that I have a favorite between the two because they are each unique in their own way. My love affair with Darjeeling continues.
You can find out more about this tea here.
Not familiar with this type of tea? check out my article, Meet the Tea: Darjeeling.