How To Drink Darjeeling Tea (Expert Tea-Making Tips)

Darjeeling tea gets its name from Darjeeling town in West Bengal, India. Also, based on the fermentation process, there can be various varieties of Darjeeling tea, also known as the “champagne of teas.” It can be green, oolong, or black tea. But the part that sets it apart from the others is the location.

The success behind Darjeeling tea is its exquisite taste, which you can’t find in other teas. It is because the location of Darjeeling is considered to be the prime location for growing tea leaves. That is why; for connoisseurs, this tea is nothing short of a gem.

However, weather patterns and the processes it goes through influence its flavors, and tea made from the leaves harvested after the first flush is considered the finest Darjeeling tea. But that’s not the only factor that dictates the taste and benefits obtained from this tea.

That’s why it raises the question of how to drink Darjeeling drink?

The way to drink Darjeeling tea and get the most out of its exquisite flavor is to know how to make it perfectly without losing out on the taste. Also, you can add milk (choice-based), lemon, cinnamon, turmeric, and chamomile, or make an iced Darjeeling tea.

Here we will discuss how to brew a perfect cup of Darjeeling tea and drink it for what it’s worth and some variants of Darjeeling that can provide a refreshing taste if you don’t like it as a standalone tea.

Drinking a Perfect Cup of Darjeeling Tea

Before trying to get into how to drink a perfect cup of Darjeeling tea, there are several types of this tea based on various factors.

So, get an insight into various types of Darjeeling teas based on flush, fermentation process, and grades here.

How To Brew The Perfect Darjeeling Tea

The method or way you brew a cup of Darjeeling highly influences the flavor your tea will have; consequently, it affects the drinking experience. That’s why; knowing how to make it covers most of the drinking part, but the one left is following right below, which are additives.

However, it’s not always easy to find the tea brand and type in your local market, which makes you turn to online shopping.

Things You’ll Need

• Spoon
• Teapot
• Teacup
• Kettle
• Darjeeling loose tea leaves
• Water (soft water)

How To Make It

For Darjeeling tea, start by ensuring you don’t use tap water. Tap water has higher mineral content, and even minuscule amounts can alter the flavor of your Darjeeling tea.

1. Bring water to boiling in the kettle and let it stay.
2. On the other end, to prepare a cup of Darjeeling tea, take a teaspoon of loose leaves and put them into a heated teapot.
3. Pour boiling water (6-7.oz) over your Darjeeling tea leaves.
4. Always ensure that you put tea leaves before water.
5. Let it steep for at least three and max five minutes.
6. Enjoy without any additives for maximum benefits.

The Best Additives for Darjeeling Tea

Various additives have been introduced to add to the flavor of your run-off-the-mill teas. These additives came to be as a result of modernization. People in the past drank their teas without any, but it wasn’t limited to that.

Milk

There are many controversies about adding milk to your tea; however, it all boils down to personal preferences.

In the case of Darjeeling tea, and if you know your tea, not every variant of Darjeeling tea is suited for milk. It is based on the flush of the Darjeeling tea. The first flush Darjeeling tea is a no-go if you want to try adding milk to your tea.

However, if you like your tea with milk, then the second flush and Autumn flush Darjeeling tea are your choices, but if you want to enjoy it for its flavor, it is advised not to add milk to your Darjeeling tea.

Honey and Lemon

Honey and lemon have remarkable health benefits and can be added to various teas to complement their health benefits while maintaining the flavor profiles of the base teas.

While lemon can be added to your Darjeeling tea (first flush) without any thoughts, honey needs to be considered a bit more.

If the honey is natural without added sugars, you can add 2-3 tablespoons; otherwise, half that amount for a cup of tea. Another thing to be mindful of is for two tablespoons of natural honey, use one tablespoon of lemon; hence, the ratio is 2:1 respectively.

Add lemon and honey at the end while the tea is hot, and stir the tea to blend the flavor thoroughly.

Chamomile

Chamomile has numerous benefits, and luckily you can easily include it in your diet. One of the most popular ways to enjoy chamomile is by making tea.

The first flush Darjeeling tea and chamomile are a perfect match. However, the making of this differs from the base.

The starting process is putting dried chamomile in a teapot and pouring boiling water over it rather than tea leaves. Afterward, add loose Darjeeling tea leaves and steep for 3-5 minutes. And you’re done.

Turmeric/Sunburst

For milk tea lovers, this option is the best bet for milk Darjeeling tea, but the point of focus is that tea leaves are again second flush or muscatel Darjeeling tea. Another thing that adds to the flavor of this tea is the addition of cardamom to this tea.

To know how to make Sunburst Darjeeling tea, check this article.

Iced Darjeeling Latte

So far, we have gone through herbs, spices, floral, and milk teas, but you will be surprised to find that the versatility of Darjeeling tea doesn’t end there.

Here, a refreshing option is the iced Darjeeling latte. This type also offers experimentation with herbs and spices like cinnamon, ginger, and more.

To make it, use a 60:40 ratio of water to milk, plenty of ice, one to two tablespoons of Darjeeling tea, two to four tablespoons of sweetener (preferred brown sugar), and herbs/spices.

To get the right blend, prepare your tea the usual way with herbs and spices. Afterward, add cold milk and ice cubes to a cup, pour tea over it and chill it in the refrigerator.

Conclusion

Lastly, with this article, you have become familiar with several ways of drinking and enjoying your Darjeeling tea. But to reiterate, drink your Darjeeling the right way by brewing it properly, and don’t exceed the maximum limit of two cups daily.

Also, you can add milk to your Darjeeling tea, spices, herbs, honey, and lemon, or make an iced latte for a perfect snack. Enjoy!