I’m not going to lie, it’s difficult for me to drink straight black teas without milk and a sweetener (usually sugar or agave). So I’ll make my review sort of a dual between what I tasted without my own additives and with. To note – I am partial to straight teas. I received this tea as a sampler. I brewed this tea in two different sittings – one at boiling and one at just under boiling.
Without milk and sugar – Very floral tea with earthy tones. My cup was brown with a very prominent red tinge. The tea itself was quite flat, I found little complexity aside from a floral finish.
With milk and sugar – This tea reminded me of something I had tried when I was a kid, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Overall, I still felt it was flat, like it needed something to brighten up the cup.
This darjeeling is solid with or without milk and sugar. It may not be the best, but it’s far from the worst. Worth a try!