Mårten Nilsson schrieb:

> I've bought Twinings Darjeeling (loose) and I don't like it at all. I've
> also tried other cheap brands (lipton, I belive) and it was also worthless.
> This would lead me to the conclusion that I simply dont like darjeeling
> if it wasn't that I have also tried some First Flush from the teastore
> and it was not only good, it was nothing like the Twinings or Lipton
> varieties.


I doubt that Twinings Dajeeling is a Dajeeling at all. "Darjeeling" is
not always Darjeeling. The Tea Board of India, the official Indian tea
authority, estimates that up to 40,000 tons a year are sold as
"Darjeeling" worldwide, although the district of Darjeeling only
produces 8,000 to 11,000 tons a year. There seems to be no law to
prevent brands to use the name Darjeeling for teas. Therefore, *real*
Darjeeling has the Tea Board of India's the license number and the Tea
Board of India's Darjeeling seal of authenticity on the package!


> So do I have a question? Is there some kind of standard Darjeeling or
> is it a very wide category? Can you expect anything from a tea bearing
> that name?

Go to a local or even internet tea shop and look for real darjeeling.
The varity of types, tastes and also quality is huge (from fruity to
nutty, from average but decent every day quality to fine distinctively
invigorating aroma for very special occasions). But cheap? Darjeeling?
No. And maybe you don't like the quite characteristic Drajeeling "basic
taste" at all -- esp. tea with milk drinkers are often not very fond of
Darjeeling tea.

My tip: start with an Inbetween! They are cheaper than 1st or 2nd
flushs, have a fresh fruity-ish 1st flush like taste but are a bit
smoother, therefore not very distinctive and less aromatic as good 1st
flushs and not as flavoury as the 1st and 2nd flush but also less
pungent (what you have esp. in 1st flushs). Good Inbetweens have a
decent every day quality still with a very typical Darjeeling taste and
Darjeeling characteristics. I would recommend it as a nice try for a
real Darjeeling start.


Dieter