Unique musk grape flavor Gao Xiang Darjeeling black tea which brand of breakfast black tea is better in each season

Darjeeling Tea is unique; this makes his tea "different"

Darjeeling has nearly 90 estates growing tea on 70 square miles, which is 1/4 of that of New York City and 1/10 of that of Tokyo. The terrain is steep slopes, and soil erosion and landslides are a threat, mainly due to decades of overproduction and neglect that have almost destroyed Darjeeling's entire heritage.

Now, the quality of management has improved significantly, and major estates do not require "organic" certification. Biological management is becoming the norm.

Darjeeling tea processing is the most labor-intensive area in the world. The "orthodox" tradition of picking by hand is selective, which is possible for humans and goes far beyond the usefulness of machines. In order to process a kilogram of leaves, 20000 branches need to be pulled out on a slope of 40-60 degrees. Each shrub provides 40 cups per year. Labor accounts for 60-70% of the total incremental costs.

Darjeeling sells all its products, mainly in Germany and Japan. Historically, fake Darjeeling beer has outsold the real thing. The oft-cited consensus is that annual production is 10,000 tons and sales are 40,000 tons, with most of the counterfeit and adulterated products coming from Nepal. 2016 is the first year of strong certification rules and standards, with legal logos, coupled with property sources and reputable suppliers, constitute the best guarantee.

But is Darjeeling worth the money? Why bother? Why bother when there are so many high-quality Chinese Kim black tea, Ceylon tea and Nepalese manor tea with the same quantity and lower price?

The answer is uniqueness. Darjeeling Coffee is unique in: (1) its unique basic taste, (2) its variety, (3) subtle and unique aroma levels, as well as subtle differences in the background of taste.

The general flavor of Darjeeling black tea

The obvious question for new customers is, is it just a different kind of black tea or a better kind of black tea? What makes Darjeeling tastes different?

Don't use other black tea as a reference. Many tea drinkers have breakfast in Assam, Ceylon, Qimen or England in mind, and they compare it to Darjeeling breakfast. This makes their expectations cleverly focused on black rather than Darjeeling.

Darjeeling's main features and contrast are very rich nutrients, building aromas and adding a flower, fruit, almost sweet nuance-which is much richer than the direct flavor of Earl Grey Tea or Chinese jasmine green or oolong tea.

Darjeeling is not really black tea. It is less fermented and oxidized; the term refers to gently kneading the leaves so that the cells of the leaves can be broken and interact with oxygen. Green tea has a short oxidation time and locks many compounds in the leaves. Darjeeling Tea is not as light as green tea, but they have some characteristics of partially oxidized oolong tea.

This is an oversimplified view, but Darjeeling Tea's diversity is seen as a beneficial tendency to balance the sweetness and lively freshness of larger green vegetables, the complex aroma of oolong tea, and the mellow and fullness of black tea. This is why experts use so many adjectives to describe the nuances of each kind of tea.

Top estates are increasingly expanding to green tea, as well as oolong tea and some white tea. Green tea is the main source of sales growth. Castleton Moonlight White Tea (Castleton Moonlight white) has risen on the tea list, mentioning it as almost pious.

For beginners exploring Darjeeling, there is no compelling reason to make these new styles a top priority. Drink "black tea" first, then taste other teas selectively.

Where do the various flavors of Darjeeling black tea come from?

Don't think Darjeeling is just a kind of tea. There are nearly 90 estates in Darjeeling, India, with three main seasonal harvest periods, called "flushes", and a rainy season. Each estate usually sells 3-8 kinds of tea, and high-end sellers offer many good blended teas. You can find more than 100 products in the catalogue of a professional high-quality tea supplier.

Like wine, the harvest varies from year to year in quality and characteristics. Normally, the first bucket of water this year will be sold on the market together with last year's. Here, the freshness of tea is a key determinant of quality: vacuum packaging has become a must. Darjeeling's best condition may be 6 months, but if preserved properly, its flavor can be retained for a year.

The diversity of taste is the most obvious in the diversity of seasonal harvest. In many areas, tea is harvested all the year round, every few weeks, and there is a break. In some places, the harvest in the first spring is the best; before Ching Ming Festival, China's Mingqian tea is very precious.

The two best seasons in Darjeeling are spring tea in spring and tea picking in summer. In the sense of your decision, each is the "best". The starting point of exploring Darjeeling is to decide which style you prefer. This provides a basis for you to expand your choices.

The following is a brief summary of brewing:

Spring tea: spring, after hibernating winter, from late February to mid-April. Light, bright, slightly astringent, with fragrant flowers.

Picking tea in summer: summer. May-June. The tea has a mellow taste, with the mellow and complex flavor of the legendary "musk wine".

Rainy season tea: July to September. The stagnant water is stronger in the rainy season. It's not worth spending a lot of money, and it's usually just a normal basic breakfast mix.

Autumn tea: 10. Light and delicate, not as complicated as the first and second red.

It seems better to focus on the two main flushing products than to try Darjeeling mixed products, although there are some very good flushing products on the market. They are usually a mixture of leaves from several estates or not quite in the top category (SFTGFOP), a bit loose and not very well shaped. Mixing may be an obvious choice for beginners, but they are often a bit disappointing because they average the unique characteristics of each ingredient.

Once you have a good understanding of the supplier and know what to look for to meet your wallet and teacup priorities, you can give it a try. If you really like Darjeeling Tea, you may rely on a good blend of tea to drink, and occasionally drink some manor tea.