Darjeeling N°37

I had low expectations for a bagged Darjeeling, even as nice a bag as Kusmi provides, so this was a very pleasant surprise. Maybe I just got lucky and steeped it properly, but this is a fine and delicious example of what a Darjeeling can taste like. Light but full-flavored, very aromatic with that fruity/winey/muscatel flavor. There’s just enough astringency to make it refreshing without being bitter.

If it’s consistently this good (and I didn’t just get lucky with the steeping parameters) I may even pick up a tin of this! Darjeelings aren’t my usual, but it is nice to have one or two black teas on hand that go well without milk.

This is my first Darjeeling, so my opinion isn’t particularly well-informed. I’d definitely describe it as delicate, slightly sweet/wine-like.

Advent Day 20

What makes this N°37? Is it the 37th tea Kusmi offered? The 37th darjeeling they tried before they found the perfect one? Does it just sound fancy?

This is a lovely cup of tea. No astringency or bite, very light malty flavor. Slight tobacco finish. Light to moderate dry mouth feeling after each sip. It’s super easy to drink straight! A nice cup if you want something simple, but I don’t imagine it would be something I’d turn to if it were in my cupboard.

Kusmi Advent Calendar – Day 20

Lots of black teas today! This is the only straight black so seemed a good choice for the morning. But then I had puglets in my lap while we were watching The Expanse, so it sat for a couple of hours before I actually drank it.

This is very mellow and tasty. There are a lot of white tea characteristics, including soft hay and oat notes and a light autumn leafy flavor. Slightly more malty than a white tea, however, and there are also some nice floral characteristics. I’m not sure I can identify muscatel notes in Darjeeling, but this does have a light golden raisin-like dried fruit note.

Very soft and pleasant, perfect for the afternoon!

(today’s advent teas: https://www.instagram.com/p/CJBt5wqA7_Q/)

A bit thin-tasting

A friend surprised me with a sampler box of Kusmi teas, and this Darjeeling is the 2nd I’m trying, and it’s a pleasing morning cup of sweet flowers. Not at all perfumey, just lightly sweet and floral like a humming along of the otherwise somewhat brisk tea. This is the first time ever that I have actually enjoyed an astringent aspect to tea, as well, it seems to actually complement the flavor. It is a simple drinking tea with layers of interest.

I found it hard to place the flavour of this at first—sweet, floral, maybe a little vegetal—but it reminded me of something. About half way through I figured it out—it reminds me of lemon gelato (which sounds like the oddest thing, but I couldn’t throw the comparison). Good. Probably wouldn’t buy it.

Oh my goodness I have something in my eye and I simply cannot get it out! What a horrible thing to contend with while trying to work at my computer this afternoon. :(
Anyway, I had this Darjeeling the other day and thought it was quite nice. It had the body of a high quality black but with some light and fresh muscatel and floral notes. It surprised me that it could be this lovely coming from a tea sachet. If I hadn’t prepared it I would swear it was loose leaf.

I’m very much enjoying Kusmi’s Organic Darjeeling Nº 37 tea. It has much in common with other Darjeeling teas I’ve had, but also has some wonderful and unique qualities that make it stand out from the pack.

This is a fairly high quality Darjeeling tea. The small leaves unfurl nicely in hot water. They’re not whole leaves, but cut to a consistent size, with little to no powder or dust. There are a fair number of cut stems among the leaves. The leaves themselves vary in color from leafy green to spruce green and dark olive as well, making for a visually pleasing presentation. I actually like the non-uniformity of the color in this case. While marketed as a black tea, the incomplete oxidation makes this one more of an oolong tea, which I prefer anyway.

The brewed tea is a lovely chestnut brown color. The flavors have much in common with other darjeeling’s I’ve had, but there are also a lot of unusual aspects as well. One of the first things I notice is a lovely fresh spring flowers taste. Floral auroma is expected from Darjeeling, but this one is especially fresh. This is most apparent in the first brewing and less noticeable on subsequent infusions.

The second brewing allows some rich maple flavor to come through. I also notice a good bit of tannin in this tea. This gives an astringent quality that some might not like. I’d describe Kusmi Noº 37 as a fairly brisk tea. This can be mitigated by using water that has cooled for a couple minutes after boiling. I’m still experimenting with ideal brewing temperature. I think 3-4 minutes at 180º is correct for the first infusion. I can get a 2nd and 3rd cup, adding an extra minute each time.

I definitely enjoy this tea and would keep it as my every-day Darjeeling if it were a little less expensive.

I could tell this was a high quality Darjeeling, but it just didn’t do much for me. I enjoyed it, but I wouldn’t buy a whole tin or box of it. I look forward to trying their Green Darjeeling!