estate darjeeling

type: black

origin: india

region: darjeeling

caffeine: medium

price level: $$$$

While it is categorized as "black tea" one of the unique features of Darjeeling is that it actually ranges from green to oolong to black in every batch. During the oxidation process (the level of oxidation tea undergoes is one of the key differences between green, oolong and black teas) Darjeeling tea is infrequently raked or mixed. This means that some parts of the tea are not exposed to as much air as others, leaving these less oxidized parts closer to the green end of the spectrum. Looking at loose Darjeeling, one can see this mix of color shades in the leaves.