Thursday, May 22, 2008

All about Darjeeling Tea

The British prefer Darjeeling tea in their tea parties. This comes as no surprise since it was a British gentleman who brought the seeds from China and cultivated them in Darjeeling. This small step gave rise to one of the World's best leaf.

Not only in UK the popularity of Darjeeling leaf spread all over the British empire. The sweet muscatel elegant taste and subtle floral aroma which engulfs the whole room when the tea is brewed is what makes this leaf so famous. The liquor is thin bodied and light in color. This leaf is a connoisseur's delight thanks to its special characteristics.

The most popular Darjeeling teas are the black leaf but green and Oolong leaf from these estate are slowly gaining ground. Darjeeling leaf is cultivated only in tea estates of the West Bengal district of India. The tea from this region is certified by the tea board of India. To the original Darjeeling leaf a certificate and a logo is assigned by the board of India.

Inferior tea leaves are often sold as Darjeeling leaf. There are blends made by mixing Darjeeling leaf and inferior leaves from other regions.This leaf is sold in packets, cartons and tea bags. Recently jars containing this wonderful brew have entered the market.