Darjeeling Broken Orange Pekoe

Pretty mediocre Darjeeling. It might just have been the leaf grade, but I found really the only use for it was in ice tea. Pretty bitter and astringent (the astringency is actually why I believe it is a Darjeeling!). But I guess what else is there to expect from a BOP?

Fortnum & Mason Advent Day 7

My first darjeeling made me think I hated darjeeling. I made it like any black tea. Much later I discovered that cooler water and shorter steeps made them drinkable for me. I know people who adore darjeeling, and I am probably in the minority not caring for it much. An exception is Sakura Premium from Lupicia, which has all the very best bits of darjeeling and is just arresting to drink, even though my heart still belongs to Chinese black tea.

I made this one at 185F for three minutes and it was just okay. Not offensive, it tasted like an inexpensive daily drinker that was nothing special. But Fortnum should be special, even if it is their lower grade.

I made another cup a little hotter with a slightly longer steep and got more of the classic darjeeling strength, briskness, and fruitiness. It is not as good as Lupicia’s but was better than some other darjeeling I have tried. I will drink it, but I won’t seek more. Went fine with breakfast!

Fortnum & Mason Advent Calendar 2021 – Day 7

Sigh. Why must you put all of the straight black teas in a row, Fortnum? It has me wondering if the flavored black teas are going to be the same way, and we’ll eventually have like six days in a row of fruit-flavored black tea, probably with the same base…

Being a BOP, it’s a very broken leaf, so I kept the steep to 2 minutes. I’m quite enjoying it, really. Obviously a late flush Darjeeling, it has a thick, chewy, bready flavor to it with oodles of raw grain and musty hay. Perhaps slightly mustier than I would prefer, but still. It’s strong and flavorful, and I think juuuust on the edge of being slightly bitter, but not quite there. There’s a slight astringency, but nothing notable.

I like this one as an alternative to a breakfast blend. Darjeeling has such a different flavor from the usual suspects, and it makes for a somewhat mellower cuppa. But this one is still strong enough that it would take milk well, if I were so inclined.

Let’s jam! Today it’s a split and toasted English muffin with butter and Bonne Maman’s Apricot-Lavender Spread. Now, I’m not a fan of lavender in food and drink generally. I enjoy it as a scent in cleaning and bath products, but I find it too soapy in taste. However. This is mostly an apricot preserve (which happens to be one of my favorites) with just a light accent of lavender. It adds a light floral, citrusy top note and I quite like it! So pleased at how subtle Bonne Maman is with these floral additions that could easily be very perfumey. :)

This is a morning staple.

It’s a good quality daily drink Darjeeling. A light and refreshing tea, it has a gentle, smooth taste; smells pretty good, too.