Space Cowboy > writes:
>
> On Dec 30, 12:40 pm, Lewis Perin > wrote:
> > Space Cowboy > writes:
> > > My Guranse is identified as a Black Nepal. The dried and infused leaf
> > > reminds me of a green Darjeeling. The aroma is Darjeeling like. The
> > > taste is a little more harsh with more sweet than dry muscatel
> > > aftertaste.
> >
> > With Guranse, I think this is true only in a narrow, technical sense.
> > Guranse is apparently grown just over the border from Darjeeling.
> >
> If I place Guranse tea estates near Dhankuta Nepal it is a few
> Himalayan peaks 100km West of the border.

Yes, you're right about that. But the Darjeeling district extends to
the border, and what matters in the cup is the climate and soil (not
to mention the agriculture and manufacture!)

> And if I use the business addresses in Kathmandu it is way way West
> in the Himalayas about 300km.

That's irrelevant. There are Darjeeling companies whose head offices
are in Calcutta, and their tea isn't considered to come from the
Ganges delta.

> If you want cheap Darjeeling I buy Sikkim.

I drink Sikkim tea, too, but in my experience over a few years Guranse
has had a consistent level of quality I haven't seen in the Sikkim
teas I've drunk.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html