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Alex Zorach

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Member since Sep. 1st, 2009. Reviewed 1453 teas.

Reviews of Teas & Herbal Teas from Darjeeling, India

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Page 1 2 3 4 of 4 pages with 78 results

Picture of Darjeeling, Puttabong Estate, 1st Flush

Darjeeling, Puttabong Estate, 1st Flush from Simpson & Vail

Style: Darjeeling First Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

84 / 100 Aroma: 10/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Oct. 25th, 2018

A tricky-to-brew tea that reminded me a lot of green oolongs from Taiwan, and required a lower water temperature to brew to satisfaction.

The dry leaf, quite broken, is an intense green color, like a lot of good Darjeeling first flush. It looks exactly like pictured in the company photo (I appreciate honest photogra...

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Picture of Okayti White

Okayti White from Harney and Sons

Style: Darjeeling White Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

88 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Jun. 8th, 2017

I liked this one a lot, much more than typical for white teas.

I normally don't like tippy white teas, but I was super impressed by what may be this same exact same tea, or at least a similar one, sold by Golden Tips Tea. Unfortunately, this tea is no longer in stock at either company! It is worth waiting for this...

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Picture of Organic Darjeeling Kalimpong

Organic Darjeeling Kalimpong from Mighty Leaf Tea

Style: Darjeeling Second Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

78 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
May. 22nd, 2017

I thought this was an excellent second flush Darjeeling, with a fresher and cooler aroma than average, and surprising strength that allowed the leaf to stretch very far. A tea that I like to savor very slowly, not something for if you're in a hurry.

Thank you to Mighty Leaf for this generous sample!

I love the s...

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Picture of Pure Darjeeling

Pure Darjeeling from Wedgwood

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

62 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 3/5
May. 18th, 2017

This is a very dark Darjeeling. I enjoyed it as a change of pace; most high-end tea companies tend to sell lighter Darjeelings but sometimes I like the darker ones. Even though I often prefer the flavor of the lighter teas, I tend to feel better after drinking the darker ones, and this was no exception.

The dry le...

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Risheehat 1st Flush Darjeeling from Harney and Sons

Style: Darjeeling First Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

87 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Sep. 28th, 2016

I loved this one.

No picture of this because unfortunately it was removed from Harney's catalogue before I posted my review.

The dry leaf of this smells wonderful, and unexpected. It smells more like an autumnal flush tea, with more malty notes and a sort of soft, rich, caramel smell. There are floral and caram...

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Picture of Darjeeling Tea - Specialty Classics

Darjeeling Tea - Specialty Classics from Basilur

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

70 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Sep. 14th, 2016

This was served to me at a wedding and I was able to take a few different tea bags to try them later. I was surprised at the quality of this one.

The tea bag is not extraordinarily aromatic, but the brewed cup has a very nice, strong black tea smell. It reminds me a lot of sticking my nose into a bin of fresh, loo...

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Picture of Jungpana Black Tea

Jungpana Black Tea from Udyan Tea

Style: Darjeeling Autumnal Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Feb. 16th, 2016

This tea is subtly different from other Darjeelings. The leaf is big and looks more like a Wuyi oolong than anything from Darjeeling. The aroma is rich and deep, notes of caramel and malt, a hint of the characteristic fruity/floral/vegetal notes, more typical for an autumnal flush Darjeeling.

Upon pouring the wate...

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Picture of Gopaldhara Red Thunder Black Tea

Gopaldhara Red Thunder Black Tea from Udyan Tea

Style: Darjeeling Autumnal Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

77 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Jan. 25th, 2016

I liked this tea, but I would not describe it as "thunder"; it's too mellow. Following the rumbling sound analogy, it would be more like "a natural-gas-powered bus goes by", but I guess that doesn't sound quite as sexy.

Dry leaf has a strong aroma, mostly nutty, suggesting sweetness. The aroma suggests warmth.

...

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Picture of Seeyok Autumnal Black Tea

Seeyok Autumnal Black Tea from Udyan Tea

Style: Darjeeling Autumnal Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Jan. 25th, 2016

This was a dark, rich, smooth, and naturally sweet tea with a mysterious pungent aroma, which changed its character a lot resteeping.

Dry leaf is a fairly uniform brown, and has a strong and intriguing aroma, malty and suggesting sweetness, but very fresh and light.

As I pour the water, immediately a strong fruit...

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Picture of Snowview Tippy Black Tea

Snowview Tippy Black Tea from Udyan Tea

Style: Darjeeling Second Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

77 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Jan. 13th, 2016

Every now and then I encounter a Darjeeling that only seems to shine when paired with the right foods, and this was one. The first couple times I drank it, it was easy to overlook, but when I paired it with a spicy coconut curry soup I made, it seemed to take on a completely different character.

Dry leaf is brown a...

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Picture of Giddapahar AV2 Clonal Black Tea

Giddapahar AV2 Clonal Black Tea from Udyan Tea

Style: Darjeeling Second Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

70 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Jan. 7th, 2016

This was a singular tea that was highly unlike any other teas I've tried. Minimalist in aesthetic, I can see this one appealing to people who like delicate white teas, and it tasted more like a white tea than other black teas. It's not my favorite sort of tea, but I found it intriguing with every sip, and drinking it...

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Picture of Castleton China Black Tea

Castleton China Black Tea from Udyan Tea

Style: Darjeeling Autumnal Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

97 / 100 Aroma: 10/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Jan. 3rd, 2016

Wow. Udyan tea recently sent me some samples, and they are of impressive quality. This is the first sample I'm reviewing, and only the second tea I've ever tried from Castleton estate. It got my attention immediately as a top-quality tea.

The dry leaf of this tea is explosively aromatic and the aroma is extraordin...

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Picture of Okayti Silver Needle Darjeeling White Tea Second Flush

Okayti Silver Needle Darjeeling White Tea Second Flush from Golden Tips

Style: Silver Needle – Region: Darjeeling, India

93 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Nov. 16th, 2015

I thought this an exceptional tea, probably the best white tea I've ever sampled.

Another lost review that I somehow missed posting.

The leaf of this tea is wonderfully fragrant, with an aroma completely distinct from both Chinese silver needle teas, and the very different variants of them I've tried from Africa ...

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Picture of Organic Darjeeling Estate

Organic Darjeeling Estate from Mighty Leaf Tea

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Oct. 8th, 2015

This was my favorite Darjeeling from a tea bag yet.

The dry leaf of this tea, in the bag, smells amazing, even though it appears rather finely broken. There are sweet fruity notes, a hint of spice (caraway?) and some other qualities that I find distinctive but hard to describe.

Brews up a cup that is initially s...

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Picture of Darjeeling

Darjeeling from Ridgways

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

57 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 2/5 Value: 3/5
Mar. 13th, 2015

An edgy Darjeeling that was enjoyable, but not the best quality, even for a tea bag.

Brews a beautiful, golden-amber cup that is very clear. Medium- to light-bodied, but with a bold flavor. The aroma is fruity, but more lemony and less like the typical muscatel grape quality I associate with Darjeeling. There's a...

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Picture of Arya Ruby Darjeeling Black Tea First Flush

Arya Ruby Darjeeling Black Tea First Flush from Golden Tips

Style: Darjeeling First Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

67 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 2/5
Feb. 22nd, 2015

One of the most atypical Darjeeling teas, tasting more to me like a white tea than a black, I found this was interesting, but not for me. I was disappointed in it for many of the same reasons I tend not to like silver needle white tea.

I've tried this same tea from a different seller, Happy Earth Tea, the 2014 harv...

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Picture of Giddapahar Muscatel Darjeeling Black Tea Second Flush

Giddapahar Muscatel Darjeeling Black Tea Second Flush from Golden Tips

Style: Darjeeling Second Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Feb. 17th, 2015

A very pleasant tea, quite dark for a Darjeeling, and with a pleasant astringency.

The dry leaf is dark and smells fruity, suggesting sweetness, and also very malty.

Brews up a dark cup, even for a second-flush Darjeeling. Aroma is strongly fruity. For having the name Muscatel though, this tea isn't among the t...

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Picture of Thurbo Moonlight Darjeeling Black Tea Second Flush

Thurbo Moonlight Darjeeling Black Tea Second Flush from Golden Tips

Style: Darjeeling Second Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Feb. 11th, 2015

A unique tea, very different in aroma from any other Darjeeling second flush I've tried. Excellent, but I think I'd like it more if it were more bitter.

The dry leaf smells aromatic, fresh, and light, with herbaceous and spicy notes. It also looks strikingly beautiful--and fascinatingly, the color of the leaf, a m...

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Picture of Gopaldhara Gold Darjeeling Black Tea Autumn Flush

Gopaldhara Gold Darjeeling Black Tea Autumn Flush from Golden Tips

Style: Darjeeling Autumnal Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Feb. 10th, 2015

This second-flush Darjeeling was very different from the other one from Jungpana estate, that I just tried from this same company. I prepared them the same ways. I didn't like this tea as much, but it was still good.

The dry leaf is not quite as intensely aromatic, but has a fascinating aroma with a fleeting winte...

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Picture of Jungpana Premium Darjeeling Black Tea Autumn Flush (Organic)

Jungpana Premium Darjeeling Black Tea Autumn Flush (Organic) from Golden Tips

Style: Darjeeling Autumnal Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

87 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Feb. 10th, 2015

Excellent! Probably the maltiest Darjeeling tea I've ever tried, yet smoother and without the tannic edge of an Assam. Otherwise, typical for an autumnal flush.

Dry leaf has a rich, caramelly aroma, fruit, malty for a Darjeeling, and suggesting sweetness.

Upon brewing produces a cup with a rich fruity aroma, so...

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Picture of Nr. 291, Festive Tea™ Darjeeling FTGFOP1 Okayti First Flush

Nr. 291, Festive Tea™ Darjeeling FTGFOP1 Okayti First Flush from TeaGschwendner

Style: Darjeeling First Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Dec. 31st, 2014

A very light first flush Darjeeling with a unique character.

A present brought back from Germany, does not look like it's available in the U.S. I found this tea fascinating, as it's an example of a "holiday-themed" tea that is a single-estate pure tea of a high grade, and I normally associate "holiday teas" with fl...

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Picture of Fine Aromatic Darjeeling

Fine Aromatic Darjeeling from Pure Tea Selection

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

87 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Oct. 26th, 2014

Served with breakfast at the Hotel Alt-Görlitz in Görlitz, Germany, an exquisite breakfast, I might add, and this top-notch tea was an excellent addition to it, on par with the rest of the food served there.

A high-quality sachet, filled with large pieces of relatively high-grade tea. Aroma is strongly fruity, of...

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Picture of Darjeeling

Darjeeling from Meßmer (Messmer)

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

70 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Oct. 26th, 2014

Served with breakfast at City Herberge, Dresden. A middle-of-the-road Darjeeling tea bag, not very complex, but recognizable as a Darjeeling, and a couple steps up from a typical black tea (definitely far ahead of Meßmer's regular black tea (Klassik), which did not impress me.

Light-bodied for a black tea, dark am...

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Picture of Darjeeling Royal Second Flush Blatt

Darjeeling Royal Second Flush Blatt from Eilles

Style: Darjeeling Second Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Oct. 18th, 2014

An excellent tea served in the cafe of the Hotel Altstadt-Engel Regensburg, Germany, with breakfast. Served in a glass teacup, which was nice because I could see the color as it was brewing.

A smooth, balanced Darjeeling. Light in color and character for a second flush, possibly even passing as 1st flush after bre...

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Picture of Darjeeling Makaibari

Darjeeling Makaibari from The Tea Lab

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Jul. 4th, 2014

A classic Darjeeling, a typical but great-quality example of this region's tea. Rich-colored but light-bodied and mild for a black tea, with a aroma that somehow manages to be both strong and delicate.

Initially sampled at the Tea Lab storefront in Lakewood, Ohio. I then purchased some (for a very reasonable price...

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