A Glimpse of Tea Garden at Darjeeling, Tea Garden and Plantation with Tea Factory.
Darjeeling Tea is distinctive mainly because of its exotic aroma. While the tea plants found in Assam are generally direct variants of the Camellia Sinensis plant, the original tea plant whose leaves were brewed to make tea in China, Darjeeling tea is a Sinensis varietal, rather than the one produced in Assam, and has smaller leaves, and is generally not fully oxidized so is strictly not quite a black tea but a cross between oolongs and black teas. But the processing and selection of tea leaves were facilitated such that to instill a culture of producing the present texture of leaves since its initiation to suit the British palate.
It is a well-known fact British tea consists of oxidized tea crumbs black in color which is preferably brewed in water and consumed without a milk with sugar to taste.
Darjeeling was chosen and developed to cultivate and produce tea traditionally to suit the Western palate and hence emits a delicious aroma when brewed and as a result of this attribute is often titled “The Champagne of Teas”
It has a delicate and fruity essence to it, quite like champagne, and the taste is not the least of its attributes for which it is revered by its patrons in Europe and America. Its muscatel fragrance exudes it the global appellation that it finds to be accredited and famous for. And like the grapes for making champagne are supplied from a singular location in Champagne region of France, Darjeeling tea is native to the foothills of the Himalayas, in Darjeeling.
A FASCINATION
Thus having established the uniqueness and exquisite of Darjeeling teas thus earning them the global repute of Champagne of Teas in the world of culinary teas, let us take a sneak peek into what are the controlling factors unique to this region that gives the tea such a selective taste and global appreciation. Darjeeling situated at the foothills of the Himalayas at 6700 feet is a small hill town renowned for its spectacular views of the Kanchenjunga, the heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and its tea gardens. Thus it finds acclaim as a popular tourist destination. It was early in the 19th century when the town’s documented history begins with the British setting up offices for colonial administration, finding relief from the scorching summer heat of the rest of the country. It was only then that the British charmed by the taste of tea in China discovered the slightly acidic soil of Darjeeling and its subtropical climate alternating between sunny and cloudy allows tea plants to flourish under the shade and in the sun. Tea plants find it difficult to grow in a cold climate. Although Darjeeling over here is accounted as a whole district rather than just the town of Darjeeling, tea gardens usually are located at altitudes of 4000 feet above sea level starting from Kurseong with the Alubari tea garden and extending till Kalimpong subdivision. Gopaldhara in Mirik is one of the highest tea estates in Darjeeling. Most Darjeeling tea gardens find themselves seated at an elevation of 750 – 2000 meters, receiving enough of moisture, intermittent rainfall and sunshine, which further go to contribute to the unique taste of Darjeeling tea. With as many as 87 functional tea gardens, with a lot of them being shut down prematurely due to labor problems, Darjeeling produces at least 10,000 tonnes of tea annually contributing to only 3% of India’s entire tea produce. The majority of this small produce of Darjeeling Tea is exported to foreign markets where it finds a greater demand and price. Tea is exported as a blend of leaves from different gardens and sold under the Brand name Darjeeling Tea or as single packets marked with the tea garden of origin, the grade, flush and the precise picking dates. However, this mannerism is reserved only for the purest and rarest of harvests. Being globally cherished and in such high demand, the supply Darjeeling tea is unable to meet its high demands and thus gives rise to much fake tea being traded under the garb of Darjeeling tea.
Darjeeling produces at least 10,000 tonnes of tea annually contributing to only 3% of India’s entire tea produce
MY CUP OF TEA
The process of production of Darjeeling tea in various tea gardens spread across the region hasn’t evolved or undergone any modern or technological transformation from the time that the British had set them up. The process of manufacturing Darjeeling teas is known as Orthodox Manufacture and is quite labor intensive and hugely involves manual control and regulation under natural conditions. It requires vast expertise on the subject matter and intuitive abilities that allow the manufacturers to control the many variables that control and affect the chemistry of the leaves and it is these chemical changes that give every batch their distinctive color and flavor.