What is Darjeeling?

I was recently discussing tea with a friend. I mentioned how I really liked this first-flush darjeeling and she replied with "What is darjeeling? And what does first-flush mean?"
I realized I know many people who don't even know what darjeeling is.

"It's a Chinese tea that grows in India with flavors of French grapes and Himalayan mountain air."

(http://drinks.seriouseats.com)

Let's start with some facts

Origin: West Bengal, India 

Name: Darjeeling is named after the district in which it was first grown - the Darjeeling District 

Leaves: small-leaved Chinese variety (Camellia sinensis) 

Distinctive Features: Delicate, fruity, and muscatel 

There are 4 main kinds of Darjeeling that are referred to as flushes. Each flush is picked during a certain season or month. The earlier the Darjeeling is harvested, the lighter, more delicate the flavors. 

First Flush

-harvested Mid-March

- gentle and light

Second Flush

-harvested in June

-full-bodied and muscatel 

Monsoon Flush

-harvested during rainy season

-bold and mature

Autumnal Flush 

 -harvested in autumn

-full-bodied and spicy 

Though Darjeeling is rolled and oxidized like black tea, the oxidization process tends to be shorter. Being less oxidized than other teas, Darjeeling has some very delicate and fruity notes. Many say this fruity aroma reminds them of grapes. This distinct feature makes Darjeeling stand out as the Champagne of Teas. 

Darjeeling contains antioxidants and is said to help prevent 

-cancer

-obesity 

-ulcers 

-cell damage

Darjeeling is also said to promote

-heart health

-dental health

-skin health 

-bone density 

In Conclusion....

Darjeeling is a Chinese tea grown in India. Darjeeling can be light  like a green tea or more full-bodied like a black tea, depending on the season in which it is picked. Darjeeling stands out due to it's grape-like aroma and floral, muscatel flavors. It also has an impressive list of health benefits. 

Review: Tea Campaign Canada

I'm going to be posting a set of reviews on some lovely Darjeeling from Tea Campaign! I've loved working with Tea Campaign and I have been running their Instagram account. If you are into some good tea then it is certainly worth a try!

Review: Tea Campaign Canada Darjeeling First Flush 2014 Blend

Tea Campaign Canada, a fairly new tea company, is based in Ottawa, ON. This tea company focusses only on one type of tea - Darjeeling. They buy their high quality, organic tea in bulk and sell large packages. Their goal is to offer high quality tea at an affordable price. This way of buying tea is perfect for those who know exactly what tea they want and plan to drink it every day. 

Their Darjeeling First Flush is a darker blend compared to other first flush teas I’ve reviewed, making me think the leaves were picked later spring rather than early spring. The last darjeeling I reviewed was picked mid-March. I would guess this darjeeling was picked around April due to more fermentation. 

The smell is minty and grassy, the most common flavor profile of first flush Darjeelings. Though this tea has a delicate smell, it is just a tad stronger then other Darjeelings I’ve had this past month. I steeped 1 teaspoon in one cup of water for 4 minutes. After steeping, the tea had a completely different smell. It became more musty and vegetal, reminding me of broth. The taste is more sweet then the smell. This is the type of tea that grows on you as you drink it. It is best to enjoy with no additives. 

Despite maybe being a little more fermented, it is still quite delicate. It reminds me very much of Oolong due to the vegetal notes. It does have a nice, sweet aftertaste though. I have had multiple cups of this tea and thoroughly enjoyed it. I also decided to try some of this tea iced. Darjeeling isn’t a typical choice for iced teas but it turns out really lovely. I added lemon and honey to create the perfect summer drink. 

Check out the Tea Campaign website here: http://www.teacampaign.ca

Cocoa Coco Tea

I recently made this delicious Cocoa Coco tea from http://www.ambrosiaherb.com
This tea is great hot but it also makes amazing iced tea!

Check out my recipe for Honey Cocoa Iced Tea here: http://lexalexrecipe.blogspot.com/

Tea At Sea

I recently discovered this tea company called Tea At Sea. I was excited to try their tea since they are a Canadian company!

I didn't have super high expectations when I tried this tea, but I was happily surprised. Their Indonesian Black Tea is fantastic. I will share my review of this tea when it's posted on Teaviews.

Also, I recently went shopping with a friend and found this new antique tea cup! It's my first antique purchase in Canada and I love it.