Darjeeling black teas - A selection of prestige teas

Darjeeling teas

The Darjeeling region in the foothills of the Himalayas in northeast India is famous for its superb black teas, whose high quality has earned them the title of "tea champagne". The tea bushes, some of which were planted in the 19th century, benefit from ideal conditions for growing tea: high altitudes, acidic soils and regular rainfall. The know-how developed locally has done the rest, and today these teas are considered among the most prestigious.

Sort
Sort
Organic Indian black tea infusettes - Tea time
Indian black tea - Darjeeling

Tea time

€4.17
€4.17
Mist tea leaves
The different grades of Darjeeling black teas
picker in vietnam

Indian teas renowned for their delicate flavours

Teas from Darjeeling, in the northeastern Indian state of West Bengal, have become emblematic.

In the magnificent foothills of the Himalayas, facing the majestic Mount Kanchenjunga, tea bushes have been cultivated for over 150 years on almost 19,000 hectares between 400 and 2,000 meters. This region, bordering Bhutan and Nepal, offers ideal conditions for growing Camellia Sinensis, and many gardens are committed to organic and biodynamic farming. A genuine local know-how has developed here, and today Darjeeling black teas are famous the world over.

In 1983, to protect this coveted appellation, the Tea Board of India created a logo to certify to consumers the origin of the teas they consume. In 2011, Annex II of European implementing regulation N°1050/2011 of 20/10/2011 establishes the PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) for Darjeeling teas. The European Union recognizes this logo as a guarantee of quality and details its use. Nearly 90 gardens are registered under the Protected Geographical Indication.

Generally speaking, these teas are harvested in three main successive flushes known as :

  • First flush: the spring plucking, starting in mid-March, offering fresh, very fragrant and delicate teas;
  • Second flush: summer plucking from late June to mid-July, often offering typical, delicious "muscatel" flavors;
  • Third flush: the autumn harvest, which begins after the monsoon and ends in late September or early October, offering very round, fruity black teas.

The different grades of Darjeeling teas

Darjeeling black teas are often packaged with classifications such as SFTGFOP1, TGFOP, OP, BOP1. These indicate the degree of fineness of the leaves.

The classification was invented to standardize the tea trade for marketing to the West. It began with the Dutch on the island of Java in the 19th century.

This gradation, detailed for whole and broken leaves, influences the taste profile, but the seasonality of the harvests, such as First Flush (FF), Second Flush (SF) and Third Flush (TF), also plays a crucial role in the flavors of Darjeeling tea.

Read our article on Darjeeling tea grades.

Free samples
Cannot be sold separately See our terms and conditions
Change language
Filters
Availability
Labels
Consumption
Enter your account e-mail address
You will receive a link to reset or create your password.