I haven’t written a tasting note for this because my first impression was not good and yet darjeeling is one of my father’s favorites…
So I tried it again today and my impression is better than my first try so here we go. The nose is typical black tea with some additional forest moss smell, kind of musty but in a clean fresh way. In addition it has a faint nutty maybe smokey smell that lets me know this is going to be different than my typical morning black (Ceylon Sonata).
Its taste ends with some bitter and astringency, nothing overwhelming but it is there. If you wait even longer though it has an ever so slight ash-like taste in your first inhale/exhale after you swallow which I do not like. The taste begins with something like my morning Ceylon, but adds a hint of single-malt scotch. Almost a taste of something peat-like however while normally that could be a compliment, this isn’t… I can understand where this might appeal to some, but not me… All in all it has potential and I wouldn’t turn down a cup if someone brewed it for me. I do think there might be more darjeeling’s out there that might appeal more to me.Preparation
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Darjeelings, especially first flush harvests, seem to do better with less-than-boiling water (and especially on first steep). Try 190F for first steep and 195F or 200F on second steep. Happy cups!
Thanks, I will have to try this that way, I think I have a bit left in order to try this.
Darjeelings, especially first flush harvests, seem to do better with less-than-boiling water (and especially on first steep). Try 190F for first steep and 195F or 200F on second steep. Happy cups!
Thanks, I will have to try this that way, I think I have a bit left in order to try this.