Darjeeling Tea: A Tea Like No Other
Darjeeling tea is born in the foothills of the Himalayas, in the shadow of the third highest mountain inthe world, Mt. Kanchenjunga. Often called the champagne of teas, Darjeeling tea is golden or amber in color and has a delicate flavor referred to as “muscatel”. It is produced and grown exclusively in the hilly regions of Darjeeling. The placeis positioned in the northern face of West Bengal, India. There are umpteen numbers of tea gardens that fall under the jurisdiction of this district. It is neither feasible nor possible to produce the unique flavored tea anywhere else,making them one of the most expensive teas in the world. It is also India’s first Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) product.
Typically, Darjeeling tea refers to a black tea that is light to medium-bodied with fruity notes, and a touch of briskness.It is considered one of the finest teas in the world. These teas are the highest grown teas in the world, preferred for their flavour, aroma and quality. Apart from the genetic makeup of the plant, reports suggest that insect infestation;particularly jassids and thrips trigger the aroma and flavour formation in Darjeeling tea.
The first commercial production of Darjeeling tea began in 1856. A flurry of activities started and gardens began to open upat a rapid pace. Today, there are 87 tea gardens spread across 19,000 hectares of land area, employing about 52,000 workers. Another 15,000 contract employees are engaged during the tea plucking time from March to November. It is estimated that about 2,00,000 families are dependent upon the wages of these garden workers. More than 70 percent of the workers are women, engaged mainly in tea picking, which requires a great deal of care. The technique is atraditional skill handed down from one generation to the other.
The processing of Darjeeling tea goes through the very time-consuming “Traditional” method, which costs five times more than the “Unorthodox” method used to process other teas. Like all teas, it also comes from Camellia sinensis. There are various varieties of tea bushes planted in Darjeeling like the small-leaved Chinese, clonals and Assam (assamica). Each of them yields a produce that is different in appearance, taste and quality.Historically, black tea was the only produce that was focused upon, but as the world of tea expanded, Darjeeling started producing green, white and oolongs as well.
The quality, reputation and characteristics of Darjeeling tea are essentially attributable to its geographical origin. As a result of a favourable geo-agro-climatic situation, specific soil characteristics, plantation conditions, traditional human practices and askilled local workforce, it possesses a specific flavour and a very high quality, distinguishing it from other teas grown in the world.
Sancha Tea boutique offers over 75 varieties of teas which includes blends of teas mixed with natural spices, herbs, fresh flowers, Indian varietals, and revered single estate teas, They provide all types of teas like green tea, white tea, black tea, masala chai tea and Darjeeling tea in Delhi.