The Exotic Teahouse » black tea

Darjeeling Black Tea

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:00:59 +0000

Darjeeling Black Tea is considered the champagne of teas. Light in color and thin-bodied this gourmet tea has a muscatel flavor and a slightly astringent after taste. There are seasonal differences to note.

Springtime tea has a light green liquor it is brisk and mildly astringent.
Summer tea has a fuller flavor, becoming muscatel and with a fruity note.
Monsoon tea is bolder and stronger yet. It is rarely exported and considerably cheaper.
The autumnal tea is full-bodied and less spicy.

In order for a tea to bare the name Darjeeling it most come from one of 85 plantations in the Darjeeling region of West Bengal, India. Considering there is four time as much Darjeeling tea sold each year than there is grown in this region. It is important to look for the Darjeeling certification mark and logo.

Unlike the rest of the tea grown in India, Darjeeling Tea comes from the Camellia Sinensis plant. These plants were imported into the area in 1848 by Robert Fortune, who frequently visited China. Fortune viewed the Camellia Sinensis tea of China as superior to India’s Camellia Assamica teas. Camellia Sinensis leaves are smaller than the leaves of the Camellia Assamica plant. In the Darjeeling region they employ a processing method which is unique to that area. They start with what is known as a hard wither. This technique does not allow the leaves to completely oxidize and ferment like other Black teas. So technically speaking Darjeeling Black Tea is actually a form of Oolong Tea. Many Darjeeling Teas are blends and the range of oxidation varies from nearly Green Tea through Oolong to Black Tea.

Once all the tea from Darjeeling Tea Plantations was produced into Black Tea. With the rising popularity of Green, Oolong and White Tea, some of these estates are now producing them as well. These varieties are becoming more common and easier to find on the world market.

Technorati Tags: black tea, Darjeeling Tea, gourmet tea

Lapsong Souchong

admin — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:14:59 +0000

The smoky aroma of this exotic tea is enchanting. Lapsong Souchong is comprised of high quality bold black tea leaves. These leaves are then smoked over embers of pine. The full bodied Lapsong Souchong leaf supports the distinct addition of pine smoking where a lesser quality tea would be overcome by it.

Lapsong Souchong was created during the Qing Dynasty. The story goes, that a passing army had made camp in the Wuyi Hills of China’s Fujian Provence. Their presence delayed the drying of the local tea. When the army finally left the tea producers were rushed to get to market on time, so they force dried their tea over burning pine embers. The new “smoked” tea they produced was a well received in the market. Quality Lapsong Souchong is still grown and smoked in Eastern China. Beware of lesser quality products. For many are produced by adding a strong smoke flavored oil that is overpowering and often bitter.

I personally categorize this as “My Dessert Tea”, simply because it is an extraordinary compliment to my wife’s wonderful peach pie. You really ought to try some with your favorite dessert. A high quality Lapsong Souchong is available through the side bar link.

Technorati Tags: black tea, exotic tea, gourmet tea

Nepalese Tea (Organic Black)

admin — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:15:59 +0000

This tea will surpass you expectations. You will be pleasantly surprised by its rich aroma, bright clear amber color and its complex muscatel flavor.

Aroma and Appearance

The dry leaf has an earthly scent, rustic and almost pungent muscatel fragrance. Visually, Nepalese tea is extremely attractive, its leaves are very well formed and their coloring is rich with browns, reds and greens, with plenty of silvery buds. It is such an attractive leaf and since it has the same taste profile as Darjeeling tea it was once a common practice for Darjeeling purveyors to blend Nepalese tea in with Darjeeling in order to boost its value. Its brew color varies from flush to flush. The springtime tea is golden amber and the Autumnal a deeper orange amber.

Nepalese tea tastes

Nepalese tea taste similar to Darjeeling tea. Even experts are hard pressed to tell the difference. Many even believe that depending on the growing season, that Nepalese may even be superior. Nepalese tea is medium bodied with a complex flavor composition. It combines subtle fruity notes with its mild muscatel foundation. It differs slightly from Darjeeling. As Darjeeling teas are more astringent and tend to have a green overtone. There are also notable differences between flushes. Spring is more delicate. Summer, fruitier and fuller. Monsoon tea is bolder yet and the Autumnal has a lingering citrus note.

Nepalese tea is still less expensive than Darjeeling tea, but that gap has been steadily closing. Since Nepal’s tea industry has changed from government owned to privately operated, its focus has shifted from quantity to quality. Nepalese tea is not only today known for its appearance, it has also established itself as one of the great tasting teas of the world. Enthusiasm is growing among connoisseurs and buyers and demand will surely follow. I suggest that you take advantage of its value now.

Technorati Tags: black tea, exotic tea, gourmet tea

Sinharaja is an Exceptionally Gourmet Tea.

admin — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:14:59 +0000

Sinharaja is truly an exceptional gourmet tea. It is grown on the outskirts of Sri Lanka’s rainforest and is influenced by the year round cool moist weather there. This Black Tea is robust with notes of caramel and molasses. It is a hearty full-bodied tea and like all quality Ceylon teas. It will not become bitter even if it is over steeped.

Dubbed the “scholar’s cup” Sinharaja will enliven you in the evening or get you going in the morning. If you are looking for an all around tea that satisfies on a consistent basis, I suggest Sinharaja tea.

Technorati Tags: black tea, exotic tea, gourmet tea