Varieties Of Black Tea - Darjeeling (The Champagne Of Black Teas)
Darjeeling tea has traditionally been prized above all other black teas, especially in the UK and the countries comprising the former British Empire. The Darjeeling tea is called sometimes The Champagne of teas. Spring-time Darjeeling tea is famous for its lively ‘bite’ and an abundance of fresh flavor. In recent years a high percentage of top quality Darjeeling tea has been bought by Japanese consumers at relatively high prices. When properly brewed it yields a thin-bodied, light-colored liquor with a floral aroma and somewhat astringent, tannic characteristics, and a spiciness often referred to by tea connoisseurs as muscatel.
Darjeeling Tea History:
Dr. Campbell, a civil surgeon of the Indian Medical Service, was transferred from Kathmandu to Darjeeling in 1839 as Superintendent of this new territory and of the Sanitarium. His first problem was to attract settlers. In 1841, Dr. Campbell brought China Tea Seeds from Kumeon and planted near his residence in his garden at Beechwood, Darjeeling, 2000 m above sea level. He must have been successful in raising the plant because the government, in 1847, elected to put out tea nurseries in this area.
The experiment was followed by several others, for example Dr. Withcombe, Mr. James Grant, of the Civil Service, and Captain Samler. The plants, by their healthy and vigorous growth, gave much promise of the experiment succeeding. Dr. Hooker planted tea in 1848 at Lebong, a thousand feet below Darjeeling where also the tea plants succeeded admirably.
By 1852 several plantations in various stages of advancement, both of Assam and China plants were found including the ones at Kurseong and Pankhabari established by Mr. Martin.
The first commercial tea gardens were Tukvar, Steinthal and Aloobari tea estates. This was in 1852 and all these plantations used seeds that were raised in the government nurseries. By 1856 the experimental stage had been passed and development was rapid. According to Darjeeling Gazetteer, Alubari Tea Garden was opened by the Kurseong and Darjeeling Tea Company and another on the Lebong spur by the Darjeeling Land Mortgage Bank. Several hundred ha of forest land was cleared, from 750 m elevation above the sea to 1800 m. By 1857 25 or 30 ha was planted , besides six nurseries, in which a ton of seed has been sown during 1857.
Adulteration and falsification are serious problems in the global tea trade; the amount of tea sold as Darjeeling worldwide every year exceeds 40,000 tonnes, while the annual tea production of Darjeeling itself is estimated at only 8,000 to 11,000 tonnes, including local consumption. To combat this situation, the Tea Board of India administers developed the Darjeeling certification mark and logo.
Varieties
· 1st Flush is harvested in mid-March following spring rains, it has a gentle and very light color and aroma.
· 2nd Flush is harvested in June and produces an amber and more astringent cup.
· Autumnal Flush is harvested in the autumn after the rainy season, and has a somewhat less delicate flavour and less spicy tones.
Tea harvested in the summer (or rainy season) is sometimes sold at lower prices.
Sources: wikipedia.org, www.adagio.com, darjeelingnews.net, www.studiolx.com