I was contacted by Whittard of Chelsea and was asked if they could send me some teas to try and review. I usually say no to these types of requests, but I was absolutely delighted to accept some teas from this venerable tea merchant! On Saturday I got a “Knock! Knock! Knock! Delivery from the UK!” at my door — it was the tea! Thrilling! I tore open the package to find three beautiful full-sized loose teas.
I’m one of the few Darjeeling fans here on Steepster. I adore the muscatel flavor — so I was happy to see this tea in the package, and chose it as the first tea to try. I decided to take it with a little sugar “like the Germans.”
It’s delightful. Divine muscatel and a delicate but rich tea flavor. It’s a lighter tea — so perfect for the steamy day — but very flavorful. I drank it at work and had to pause for a moment to let the flavor wash over me. The wineyspicy muscatel, distinctive and delicious, was just so good. The sugar made it round and sweet without any of the astringency I usually find in a Darjeeling, but I took my second steep sans additions and there it was — a little piquant pucker. Love.
I was able to enjoy three steeps, the last one drank cool, which makes me think this would be a great fancy iced tea for a party (the color is a gorgeous amber – I could just picture it in a clear glass pitcher).
What a perfect introduction to Whittard of Chelsea — I am so, so pleased to meet you!
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That’s awesome that they made an offer like that!
Sounds lovely—I adore darjeeling too (and scratched my head a bit when I joined Steepster at how unloved it is here, ha). I like how lighter ones are indeed good on steamy days—what a nice way of putting that!
I’ve never tried Darjeeling with sugar. Hmmm…that needs to be remedied.
gmathis – I had gotten some Darjeeling at my local tea shop and the owner said “You should try it with some sugar — like the Germans!” and now every time I have some I hear her saying “like the Germans!” and I picture millions of Germans in lederhosen putting sugar in their Darjeeling and I just can’t help but put it in myself! Like the Germans!
Well, I come from good solid German stock (on one side, at least; I’m a mutt on the other), so I’ll just have to get to it. (Suddenly I’m hearing a polka band soundtrack….)
ifjuly — I wonder if it is because I’m a wine lover too. All I know is that I love them and will eagerly seek them out :)
I’m a huge Darjeeling fan and I also like muscatel flavor. I like it a lot actually.
Just purchased some really great Darjeelings from Butiki Teas. Any particular Darjeeling that is your favorite?
inguna – Right now I’m loving Junpana FF Darjeeling from the Golden Moon Insider Tea Club. It’s a first flush but it tastes like a strange and delicious hybrid of a first and second flush to me — sweeter and less green but very vibrant.
That’s awesome that they made an offer like that!
Sounds lovely—I adore darjeeling too (and scratched my head a bit when I joined Steepster at how unloved it is here, ha). I like how lighter ones are indeed good on steamy days—what a nice way of putting that!
I’ve never tried Darjeeling with sugar. Hmmm…that needs to be remedied.
gmathis – I had gotten some Darjeeling at my local tea shop and the owner said “You should try it with some sugar — like the Germans!” and now every time I have some I hear her saying “like the Germans!” and I picture millions of Germans in lederhosen putting sugar in their Darjeeling and I just can’t help but put it in myself! Like the Germans!
Well, I come from good solid German stock (on one side, at least; I’m a mutt on the other), so I’ll just have to get to it. (Suddenly I’m hearing a polka band soundtrack….)
ifjuly — I wonder if it is because I’m a wine lover too. All I know is that I love them and will eagerly seek them out :)
I’m a huge Darjeeling fan and I also like muscatel flavor. I like it a lot actually.
Just purchased some really great Darjeelings from Butiki Teas. Any particular Darjeeling that is your favorite?
inguna – Right now I’m loving Junpana FF Darjeeling from the Golden Moon Insider Tea Club. It’s a first flush but it tastes like a strange and delicious hybrid of a first and second flush to me — sweeter and less green but very vibrant.