Red (Black) Darjeeling Giddapahar Delight Tea

Darjeeling Giddapahar Delight Red (Black) Tea is an Early FTGFOP 1(Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe), a classification given only to the most valuable teas, consisting of whole leaves and a generous amount of buds, the most valuable part of the plant.

The dried leaves show many shades of green, an unusual fact for a tea classified as black. This occurs because the Darjeeling production technique sees more aggressive withering than other teas, resulting in the loss of nearly 60 percent of the water contained in the leaf. This makes complete oxidation difficult, and that is why the leaves especially of the first flush have this color. Even in the cup, the color of the liquor is not ruby red like other Indian black teas, such as Assam or Nilgiri, but remains lighter, veering to a gold and amber hue.

Giddapahar Delight tea liquor has a floral and light aroma, a delicate character that immediately wins us over and makes it the perfect companion throughout the day.

Tasting – Sight and smell

Giddapahar Delight black tea has small leaves and a rolled shape, with a melange of colors touching various shades: army green, forest green and olive green, as well as brown and ochre. Many snow-white buds covered with soft down are present. Once infused, the leaves give off floral, slightly citrusy aromas and a delicate vegetal note. The liquor is a beautiful amber gold, transparent and with bright highlights.

Tasting Notes

The first notes of Giddapahar Delight black tea have surprisingly vegetal hints reminiscent of sweet vegetables such as baked thistle, as well as a pleasant umami with a sweet yet savory opening. This is followed by floral notes of rose and wildflowers, intense but without being pungent, softly fading into hints of vanilla. There is also a delicate citrusiness with hints of cedar and a hint of nutmeg distinctive of teas from this area. The persistence is sweet and floral, with a slight umami hint. The body is dense and incredibly velvety on the palate. A balanced and elegant tea, almost devoid of astringency and bitter hints, which are completely absent here.

Place of origin

Kurseong Valley, Darjeeling District, India

How to prepare

For a classic preparation in the Western style of Giddapahar Delight red (black) tea, we recommend 2.5 grams of leaves (about 3 teaspoons) in a 200-mL cup with water at 85°C for a brewing time of 2 1/2 minutes.

The tea can be filtered for greater ease at the moment of tasting, and also the infusion times indicated above are intended to be purely indicative, so you can also adjust according to your personal taste.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.