I'm going to be posting a set of reviews on some lovely Darjeeling from Tea Campaign! I've loved working with Tea Campaign and I have been running their Instagram account. If you are into some good tea then it is certainly worth a try!
Review: Tea Campaign Canada Darjeeling First Flush 2014 Blend
Tea Campaign Canada, a fairly new tea company, is based in Ottawa, ON. This tea company focusses only on one type of tea - Darjeeling. They buy their high quality, organic tea in bulk and sell large packages. Their goal is to offer high quality tea at an affordable price. This way of buying tea is perfect for those who know exactly what tea they want and plan to drink it every day.
Their Darjeeling First Flush is a darker blend compared to other first flush teas I’ve reviewed, making me think the leaves were picked later spring rather than early spring. The last darjeeling I reviewed was picked mid-March. I would guess this darjeeling was picked around April due to more fermentation.
The smell is minty and grassy, the most common flavor profile of first flush Darjeelings. Though this tea has a delicate smell, it is just a tad stronger then other Darjeelings I’ve had this past month. I steeped 1 teaspoon in one cup of water for 4 minutes. After steeping, the tea had a completely different smell. It became more musty and vegetal, reminding me of broth. The taste is more sweet then the smell. This is the type of tea that grows on you as you drink it. It is best to enjoy with no additives.
Despite maybe being a little more fermented, it is still quite delicate. It reminds me very much of Oolong due to the vegetal notes. It does have a nice, sweet aftertaste though. I have had multiple cups of this tea and thoroughly enjoyed it. I also decided to try some of this tea iced. Darjeeling isn’t a typical choice for iced teas but it turns out really lovely. I added lemon and honey to create the perfect summer drink.
Check out the Tea Campaign website here: http://www.teacampaign.ca
