A Brief History Of Darjeeling Tea
Back in 1841, the first Camellia sinensis was planted in the Darjeeling area by Dr. Campbell, a civil surgeon. He planted a few seeds from Chinese stock in the vicinity of his bungalow at Beechwood in Darjeeling, which is situated at an altitude of 7000ft. The initial plantings were successful, so he then relocated to Lebong and planted another batch of both the Sinensis and Assamica varieties.
The first three Company experimental tea gardens were Tukvar, Steinthal, and Alubari, and they each had 2,000 tea plants. In 1852, the seeds used were sourced from government nurseries. Darjeeling was used as a holiday spot by the military and wealthy individuals since it was a sparsely inhabited village. The tea production industry is labor-intensive and requires a lot of people to plant, take care of, and pick the tea, as well as to produce it. This meant that there were job opportunities for the local people of Darjeeling and others coming from Nepal.
In 1856, the first commercial tea gardens were launched, and by 1866, Darjeeling had 39 of them, yielding a total of 21,000 kilograms of tea. This number rose to 56 by 1870, collecting approximately 71,000 kilograms of tea from 4400 hectares. Tea became a lucrative business.
Currently, Darjeeling has 87 tea gardens that harvest approximately 9.6 million kgs of tea annually, and it is known for creating the best aromatic teas in the world which can be attributed to its climate, soil, slope, mountain mist, and rain.
The tea grown in Darjeeling is cultivated from elevations that range from 100 meters (300 feet) to 2000 meters (6000 feet) above sea level. It takes nearly 6,000 shoots of tea leaves and a bud from these bushes to produce half a kilogram of tea, whereas light-leaf Assam can generate the same amount from 3,000 shoots. All teas produced in Darjeeling are harvested by hand.
Discovering Darjeeling Tea
Traditionally, the tea produced in Darjeeling is a black variety that is harvested from the Chinese Camellia sinensis var. Sinensis, as opposed to the Assam plant (C. Sinensis var. Assamica) which has larger leaves. The tea from this plant has a distinctive flavor and a strong aroma, and recently more and more estates have been producing a variety of teas, such as Oolong, Green, and White, as they become more popular. The unique flavor of Darjeeling tea is attributed to the process of the harvest. Leafhoppers and thrips feed on the sap of the tea leaves, causing slight damage and prompting the plant to produce terpenes which give it its muscatel flavor.
To make commercial transactions more straightforward with the Western world, a system of categorization was devised for Darjeeling black tea, the most accurate and meticulous one available. This method of sorting was likely initiated by the Dutch when tea started to be produced in Java and properties of the harvests were evaluated with terms originating from the Chinese tea varieties. Subsequently, in 1840, the Dutch system was embraced by the English in Assam, India, and then in Darjeeling from 1871 in the exacting form that is present today.
Exploring The Types Of Darjeeling Tea For An Unforgettable Sip
Black tea![]() Darjeeling tea is typically brewed as black tea and is gathered between spring and fall. This type of tea is one of the most traditional and popular. The leaves are gathered by hand and then left to ferment for 45-60 minutes. This process of oxidation helps to make the flavor of the tea more intense. After being processed, the leaves are spread out on fermentation beds and are exposed to air which helps them to oxidize. This produces a liquor that is light golden in color, has a pleasant aroma, and has a slightly sweet taste. |
Green Tea![]() Green tea is renowned for its health advantages. Darjeeling green tea stands out due to its elevated levels of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. This type of tea is prepared using the steaming process and not the fermentation process. The tea leaves are picked by hand, withered, and then heated via steaming or pan-roasting in order to stop oxidation, which is what gives the tea its light green color. This variety of tea is packed with antioxidants and provides a grassy, vegetal, and herbal taste. |
White Tea![]() The white tea leaves from Darjeeling are incredibly light and airy, with plenty of anti-oxidants. It has a mild scent, and when brewed it turns a light golden hue with a subtle sweetness and a gentle taste. This type of tea is processed in the same way as Green tea. The leaves are grown in a shaded area so no direct sun reaches the delicate buds and shoots. They are then hand-picked, rolled, and dried under the sun’s rays, making them rare and special. |
Oolong This beverage sits in between Green and Black tea. It is semi-processed and has a flavor comparable to that of black teas but with the advantageous elements of green teas. Not all tea farms are able to grow Darjeeling oolong. The leaves used for this tea are carefully plucked, normally comprising two leaves and a bud. Moreover, it is either left to wither in the sun and air or wilted in a trough, lightly tumbled in a rolling machine and then heated up to 220°C in a good-quality dryer with a quick run-through, depending on the leaves used. It has a flavor similar to that of black tea and offers the health benefits of green tea. |
A Highly Detailed Grading System For Maximum Accurate Results
If you have ever examined the packaging of our Darjeeling black teas, you have probably seen a series of letters and numbers printed next to the tea’s name, such as SFTGFOP 1, TGFOP, OP, BOP1… Most people are unaware of the meaning of this classification, so we thought it would be helpful to give an explanation.
When Darjeeling teas are sold, they are categorized based on their size and quality. The four main groups of grades are Whole leaf, Broken leaf, Fannings, and Dust.
Whole Leaf
SFTGFOP | Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe indicates that it contains many tips and is long and wiry in appearance. The liquors are lighter in color. |
FTGFOP | Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe. |
TGFOP | Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe |
Souchong; A Tea Made Up Of The Oldest Leaves And Therefore The Lowest Quality.
GFOP (Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) | Fine plucking containing lots of golden buds |
TGFOP (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) | Fine plucking containing only golden buds |
TGFOP 1 (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe One) | TGFOP of a superior quality |
FTGFOP (Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) | TGFOP of a very high quality |
FTGFOP1 (Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe One) | Of an even higher quality than FTGFOP |
SFTGFOP (Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) | FTGFOP of an exceptional quality |
SFTGFOP 1 (Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe One) | Even higher quality than SFTGFOP |
The Broken Leaf consists of small tea leaves or pieces of large leaves.
BPS (Broken Pekoe Souchong) | Roughly picked and of a lower quality |
BP (Broken Pekoe) | Lower leaves (2-3rd) without buds |
BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe) | Fine plucking, but with broken leaves |
BOP 1 (Broken Orange Pekoe) | High-quality BOP |
FBOP (Flowery BOP) | Even more finely plucked, but with broken leaves |
GBOP (Golden BOP) | Containing lots of golden buds, with broken leaves |
GFBOP (Golden Flowery BOP) | Even more finely plucked containing lots of golden buds, broken leaves |
Fannings consist of even smaller leaf sizes than broken ones.
GFOF | Golden Flowery Orange Fannings |
GOF | Golden Orange Fannings |
Dust represents the lowest grade in classification, consisting of small pieces of tea leaves and tea dust.
D | Dust |
Utilizing entire leaves in tea-making generally creates an infusion that is more fragrant and intricate, while using broken leaves will lead to a more straightforward and intense beverage. The brewing time should be decreased for the latter to avoid an overly strong flavor. When it comes to quality, the higher the grade of the leaves, whether they are whole or broken, will result in a more refined and complex brew, due to the inclusion of more buds.
Beyond the grade of Darjeeling tea, the season when it is harvested has a huge effect on the taste of the final product. There are three harvests: spring’s First Flush (FF), summer’s Second Flush (SF), and autumn’s Third Flush (TF). The FF produces a flavor that is lively and fresh, the SF is often fruity and has a hint of Muscat grapes, and the TF is full-flavored with woody and fruity notes. Thus, it is just as important to consider the season of harvest as it is to focus on the grade of tea in order to appreciate the full range of flavors from Darjeeling teas.