The world famous Darjeeling tea, from the finest growers!

You found the best place to buy your Darjeeling loose leaf tea online. Indian large leaf Darjeeling tea is world renowned as one of the finest teas and is often referred to as the "Champagne" of teas. Mild, light and delicate, many drink this with an afternoon tea.

Grown at elevations ranging from 750-2000 metres and has a flavour so unique that it cannot be reproduced. 'A' Grade (superior quality): FTGFOP Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe.

There are many Darjeeling tea benefits for our health, our two favourites are... It contains caffeine, although in smaller doses than coffee it still provides a boost to physical and mental performance when you are tired.

Like green teas, Darjeeling black tea is also full of antioxidants, these help neutralise harmful free radicals, and potentially reduce free radical damage that can target cell membranes and DNA, and raise your risk for chronic illness.

Other health benefits of Darjeeling tea include weight loss and a much needed immune system boost too!

Taste

Darjeeling is a black tea with a distinctively mild and delicate taste. Best enjoyed without milk.

Origin

The Darjeeling area is located in the West Bengal state of India. Indian tea is famous throughout the world as its one of the finest tea producing areas in the world. Renowned for not only its tea production but also its views of Kangchenjunga, the world's third-highest mountain.

Ingredients

All tea comes from the same tea plants, Camellia Sinensis. Sub varieties of this plant are grown around the world in countries such as China and India. It is an evergreen shrub or tree that produces small white flowers with bright yellow stamens. The Chinese variety - Camellia Sinensis Sinensis, tends to grow to a maximum of 5m and does not mind the colder climates at high altitudes in China, Tibet, Japan and the upper slopes of the Darjeeling plantations in India. Generally all tea is grown in the tropical conditions around the equator at temperatures between 50 - 85°f, rainfall of 200 – 230cm per year, and at altitudes between 300 – 2,100m (the best being in the mist and clouds between 1,200 –1,800m).

The tea leaves are harvested by plucking the plant's top two leaves and the bud, from March to November, a time span that is divided into four flushes. The first flush consists of the first few leaves grown after the plant's winter dormancy and produce a light floral tea with a slight astringency; this flush is also suitable for producing a white tea. Second flush leaves are harvested after the plant has been attacked by a leafhopper and the camellia tortrix so that the leaves create a tea with a distinctive muscatel aroma. The warm and wet weather of monsoon flush rapidly produces leaves but they are less flavourful and often used for blending. The autumn flush produces teas similar, but more muted, to the second flush.

Recommended preparation

Use approximately 1 heaped teaspoon per cup. Pour over freshly boiled water and cover. Leave to stand for 2-3 minutes. Dispose of the used tea leaves. Use with a tea strainer or tea pot to avoid the mess.