The Tea Series: Part Four
Darjeeling, the "Queen
of Teas". Grown on cloud covered slopes near the India/Nepal/Bhutan
border, within view of snow-capped Everest, Kabru, and Kanchenjunga, the
very name conjures up visions of travel to exotic lands. Can you see
the saffron-shrouded Tibetan monks silhouetted against a crystal clear
azure sky? Can you smell the clean, crisp air, and hear the wind buffet
and play through green meadows? Try a top tier Darjeeling, and you just
might...
Darjeeling is arguably the most famous place-name of the world's teas, and unquestionably one of the most costly. Whilst a member of The Tea Masters, we were given an opportunity to purchase a sample from the world's most expensive tea: a Darjeeling that sold for over $3300 per kilo. Um... I didn't buy much. Thankfully, for us all, Darjeeling may be expensive, but usually not that dear. Depending upon the estate, the flush, and the year, good single-estate Darjeeling will run from $25 to $100 per pound. Given that you can get about 200 cups from a good tea, that breaks down to 12.5 cents to 50 cents a cup. Not a bad deal, eh what?!
Sadly, Darjeeling is also the most counterfeited tea in existence, with almost three times as much being marketed world wide than is actually produced. It doesn't take a "smarter than the average Bear" to see that cheaper Indian tea is being sold as the Queen, as well as mixed in to the authentic stuff bearing her sovereign's name. So, how to avoid paying for a Bentley and being sold a Yugo? Know your broker, and know your estates.
Why is Darjeeling so damned expensive? For starters, the best stuff is grown on steep, treacherous slopes that range from 5,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level. Second, the leaves are typically smaller than most tea, resulting in many more leaves needing to be plucked to create a kilo of finished product. Most importantly, that damned, fickle weather. Rapidly changing, unpredictable weather patterns often turn a great growing season into a bad one. Rains too soon before a plucking will result in a tea that comes closer to being a dare than a "delight".
The Queen of Teas, is sold, primarily based on two factors: Estate, and "Flush" (or the timing of when the shoots are plucked). The first flush is usually picked in early April. If the rains hold off during the last week of plucking... good year. The first flush is the most aromatic, the brightest, and the most expensive. Estates that are perennial buys for the first flush are Arya, Puttabong, Namring, and Makiabari. A wise tea buyer once said "The harder it is to describe your first flush, the better it is". I'd agree with that. A great first flush is floral, bright, multi-layered. They also tend to be pretty damned astringent, which is why I generally drink...
The second flush. Picked in early Summer. softer, rounder, fuller, fruitier, and LESS EXPENSIVE! My favorite second flush is Margaret's Hope, which is nicknamed in the industry "Muscatel", and aptly named it is. It is still unmistakably Darjeeling, but has rounded edges and a very fruity bouquet that is reminiscent of Muscats (go figure). If you can find Margaret's Hope Second Flush from the current year, "Buy unflinchingly" sez I!
Finally, we have the Autumnal flush. All of the edge is gone, but so is much of the interest. There are some good points, however. Less expensive, darker, and sometimes has a hint of smokiness. Makiabari produces a good Autumnal flush, as does Sri Sibari.
Brew at 212 f. for 3-4 minutes depending upon leaf size and flush (a bit less time and lower temperature for first flush).
Yours in "Tea Life, Tea Mind",
Bear, International Tea Masters Association
Darjeeling, the "Queen
of Teas". Grown on cloud covered slopes near the India/Nepal/Bhutan
border, within view of snow-capped Everest, Kabru, and Kanchenjunga, the
very name conjures up visions of travel to exotic lands. Can you see
the saffron-shrouded Tibetan monks silhouetted against a crystal clear
azure sky? Can you smell the clean, crisp air, and hear the wind buffet
and play through green meadows? Try a top tier Darjeeling, and you just
might...Darjeeling is arguably the most famous place-name of the world's teas, and unquestionably one of the most costly. Whilst a member of The Tea Masters, we were given an opportunity to purchase a sample from the world's most expensive tea: a Darjeeling that sold for over $3300 per kilo. Um... I didn't buy much. Thankfully, for us all, Darjeeling may be expensive, but usually not that dear. Depending upon the estate, the flush, and the year, good single-estate Darjeeling will run from $25 to $100 per pound. Given that you can get about 200 cups from a good tea, that breaks down to 12.5 cents to 50 cents a cup. Not a bad deal, eh what?!
Sadly, Darjeeling is also the most counterfeited tea in existence, with almost three times as much being marketed world wide than is actually produced. It doesn't take a "smarter than the average Bear" to see that cheaper Indian tea is being sold as the Queen, as well as mixed in to the authentic stuff bearing her sovereign's name. So, how to avoid paying for a Bentley and being sold a Yugo? Know your broker, and know your estates.
Why is Darjeeling so damned expensive? For starters, the best stuff is grown on steep, treacherous slopes that range from 5,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level. Second, the leaves are typically smaller than most tea, resulting in many more leaves needing to be plucked to create a kilo of finished product. Most importantly, that damned, fickle weather. Rapidly changing, unpredictable weather patterns often turn a great growing season into a bad one. Rains too soon before a plucking will result in a tea that comes closer to being a dare than a "delight".
The Queen of Teas, is sold, primarily based on two factors: Estate, and "Flush" (or the timing of when the shoots are plucked). The first flush is usually picked in early April. If the rains hold off during the last week of plucking... good year. The first flush is the most aromatic, the brightest, and the most expensive. Estates that are perennial buys for the first flush are Arya, Puttabong, Namring, and Makiabari. A wise tea buyer once said "The harder it is to describe your first flush, the better it is". I'd agree with that. A great first flush is floral, bright, multi-layered. They also tend to be pretty damned astringent, which is why I generally drink...
The second flush. Picked in early Summer. softer, rounder, fuller, fruitier, and LESS EXPENSIVE! My favorite second flush is Margaret's Hope, which is nicknamed in the industry "Muscatel", and aptly named it is. It is still unmistakably Darjeeling, but has rounded edges and a very fruity bouquet that is reminiscent of Muscats (go figure). If you can find Margaret's Hope Second Flush from the current year, "Buy unflinchingly" sez I!
Finally, we have the Autumnal flush. All of the edge is gone, but so is much of the interest. There are some good points, however. Less expensive, darker, and sometimes has a hint of smokiness. Makiabari produces a good Autumnal flush, as does Sri Sibari.
Brew at 212 f. for 3-4 minutes depending upon leaf size and flush (a bit less time and lower temperature for first flush).
Yours in "Tea Life, Tea Mind",
Bear, International Tea Masters Association
