Country of Origin: India
Leaf Appearance: small, varied shades of green and brown
Ingredients: black tea
Steep time: 3 minutes
Water Temperature: 180 degrees
Preparation Method: bone china teacup and mesh infuser
Liquor: gold
Three down, two to go! These leaves from Risheehat estate were slight greener with more silver tips than the previous two. The taste was delicate, light and sweet with a refreshing but subtle astringency. There were pronounced floral notes along with a peach-like fruitiness. The finish had an almost winey which is about as close to the elusive “muscatel” as I was able to pick up in all if these teas. Sometimes you’ll see Darjeeling referred to as “China Classic” like this one or Chinary. This simply means that the trees are Camellia Sinensis var. Sinensis rather than var. Assamica or a hybrid. +Happy Earth Tea‘s commitment to organic, Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance certified teas is appreciated here as always. Another thing I love is that they list the lot numbers for each of their teas. Very few retailers give this information but for those who get really nerdy about Darjeeling, it’s nice to have.
Risheehat 1st Flush Darjeeling 2014 sample provided by Happy Earth Tea.