Twinings Darjeeling Review

Greetings! As sweater weather approaches my home in Florida, I decided it was finally time to brew some hot tea from my stock. Today, I’m reviewing a black tea. Black teas are a very clean slate, and often, they’re what I’m thinking of when I say “tea.” This tea is Twinings Darjeeling, a variety of black tea that comes from India. I was first introduced to it by one of my high school teachers, who shares my love of tea. She told me it’s also known as the champagne of teas. After doing my own research, I found out that this is due to its region-specificity. It can only be made from tea leaves from the Himalayas in Darjeeling. These leaves are high in antioxidants and can help relieve stress, making it not only a treat for your mouth, but a treat for your mind.

I steeped my tea in hot water for three minutes. I never boil my water, since it takes away from the flavor and benefits of most teas. Before steeping, the tea has a distinctly bright scent, whereas afterward, it smells roasted and bitter. Without sugar, it is a strong, rich black tea with undertones of lightness. Personally, I prefer my teas to be lightly sweetened. I was out of white sugar today, so I stirred in two tablespoons of raw sugar. After that, the lightness of the tea was truly brought out. I also picked up on more earthy and slightly sour tones. Overall, it was a comforting and delicious black tea.

Personally, I enjoyed it better with sugar. The flavor is too strong without it. My 9-year-old brother, another tea fanatic, agreed with me. He said “It’s quite good!” but asked me to make him a cup with even more sugar. In the end, I’m giving this tea a huge thumbs-up! It’s great for a chilly day like this.