A tea from the euro travelling box, and I think I am getting close to having tried all the samples – though for a couple I need a second tasting.
I am not a Darjeeling person. Though maybe that is because of lack of knowledge of those, due to only having tried not so good ones (Mariage Freres, can not quite forgive you for Arya Rose). Altitude tea, or at least tea from the himalayas seems to be quite a different beast to the black tea I am used to, even with all the variation encompassed by “black tea”. There is the astringency, for example, which is always there.
But recently just learnt to love a Nepal tea, and testing more Darjeelings is always interesting to me. This was a small sample I took out from the travelling box, and I might have ruined it with too long a steep, since I got distracted. Yep, astringent. But ignoring that (and rightfully so, because it is my fault) this is delightful and I can get the so-different character underneath. It´s floral and musky at the same time, like winegrapes. Nice even when tortured…
The astringency, ah, at normal levels maybe I can learn to like it. Maybe. Will test more Darjeelings.
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I was like you Teresa regarding Darjeelings and now I managed to love several of them. Much 2nd flushs but I am now considering first flushs as well.Like you I am convinced the difference resides in the Gardens and in harvests.
After I try the current 2014 FF Darjeelings from Mariage Freres I’ll try to find a tea you might like. Little to no astringency, right? I’m still drinking the 2012 Vintage Darjeeling from MF so it might be a while until I order the 2014 FF Darjeelings.
Excelsior, that is a very kind offer you have made me, but really a rain check is more than good enough for me! One day i would love to try a cup of darjeeling you recommend, but seriously no hurry. Or maybe the best way is next time I am in Paris, I will go to Mariage Freres and use your notes to order a cup of tea prepared by them, maybe I am not doing it right.
Astringency might be just a mental block, on a few cases I think I enjoyed it and thought it was part of the fun – maybe like acid which is not a good thing in wine, except there is vinho verde, and if you get to used to it, the little acid touch makes it so special to have with so many other things.
I was like you Teresa regarding Darjeelings and now I managed to love several of them. Much 2nd flushs but I am now considering first flushs as well.Like you I am convinced the difference resides in the Gardens and in harvests.
After I try the current 2014 FF Darjeelings from Mariage Freres I’ll try to find a tea you might like. Little to no astringency, right? I’m still drinking the 2012 Vintage Darjeeling from MF so it might be a while until I order the 2014 FF Darjeelings.
Excelsior, that is a very kind offer you have made me, but really a rain check is more than good enough for me! One day i would love to try a cup of darjeeling you recommend, but seriously no hurry. Or maybe the best way is next time I am in Paris, I will go to Mariage Freres and use your notes to order a cup of tea prepared by them, maybe I am not doing it right.
Astringency might be just a mental block, on a few cases I think I enjoyed it and thought it was part of the fun – maybe like acid which is not a good thing in wine, except there is vinho verde, and if you get to used to it, the little acid touch makes it so special to have with so many other things.