Lochan Darjeeling Samples (Black tea)

I was going to wait until I had all the samples tasted, but it's taking long enough that I thought I should post some now, rather than abuse Ankit Lochan's patience with me thus far. I only have three more to note after this, but will post them later.

I'm using roughly 4 grams in 8 oz of water that is 208 degrees. This seems to be the best set of parameters that I could find. All samples are 2nd flush, and all but one are from this year (2007).

Lochan Darjeeling Imperial

I don't think I could have picked a better one to start with because this one has broken many preconceptions I had about what makes a Darjeeling. This one is incredibly smooth with no bite. There is a slight aciditc bite that is typical of black teas, but it is rather subdued and does more to tie in the flavors than most. The aroma is dominated by muscatel, very strong, sweet, white grape aroma that is very clearly defined. The body is very very round, smooth, and sweet. This is one of the first black teas I've had that does not need any kind of sweetener, and I am sure that those who take milk in their tea would be able to forego the milk in this cup. The flavor is somewhat more complex than I am accusomed to, although still distinctly Darjeeling muscatel. It finishes with only the slightest hint of bitterness and absolutely no astringency. There is, of course, a slightly lingering muscatel aftertaste that feels like it evaporates off the tongue for several minutes.

I am highly impressed with this one, and find myself wondering what else the world of Darjeeling has to offer. I guess we'll find out!

Castleton Wiry Clonal

This one is as smooth as the last one, and also has the lack of astringency typically found in most Darjeelings. This one has a darker brew, but a slightly more subtle flavor. The flavor is a bit more well defined, however, and comes to a bit more of a point. The muscatel has a slightly more sweet-tart flavor that reminds me a bit more of darker grapes mixed in with the characteristic white grape. The flavor is a bit more complex, with the different nuances playing together in a bit more interesting way. Although it may not have quite the same level of quality as the Imperial, I think I do find the flavor a bit more interesting.

Makiabari Vintage Muscatel

This one is a bit closer to the typical Darjeelings I am used to, although it lacks the heavy astringency that I don't usually care for and it is a bit smoother. It has the famous muscatel flavor, but has a bit more of a sour note that reminds me of a wine. It does have more of the bite that is typical of black teas than the previous ones. While it does not have much astringency, it does leave the surface of the tongue a bit dry. While this one doesn't have the greatest complexity, it does have a nice round maturity that is true to the name.

Lochan Oolong Imperial

Now we're more in the realm of my home field: oolong. I've had some cheaper Indian oolong, including a more generic Darjeeling oolong and wasn't very impressed. While this still isn't something I would choose over a baozhong, Wuyi yan cha, or gaoshan, I was still pleasantly surprised. It has a nice mellowness that is not unexpected from an oolong. It is rather sweet flavor with a heavily subdued muscatel note in the center and a texture that is like a very light wood. In a way the woody aspect almost reminds me of the inside skin of tree bark, in a strange way, including the rusty color that matches the color of the infusion. The aftertaste begins with a quick bloom of sweetness that quickly fades to a fairly pronounced drying. The dryness is a bit more than I typically like in a tea, but it's not a profound astringency.

Margaret's Hope Muscatel Delight - 2006 & 2007

2007

Well I kind of messed up on this one. I tried using more leaf, as per Ankit Lochan's recommendation on the Tea Nerd blog, but it came out horribly bitter. I can't help but think that brewing like this may be for those that like to add milk to their tea, which I do not care for (although I will use sugar sometimes). Unfortunately I used most of the sample, but I did have some left. I mixed the last 1.5 grams of dry leaf that I had left with some of the already-steeped leaves from the first round, and between the two infusions I think I have an approximation of what it should taste like.

This one is more of the typical Darjeelings that I'm used to, although the dry leaf was a bit darker than most of what I have seen elsewhere. It has the usual astringency that is typical of Darjeelings, although it's not totally out of balance. I've found that I can take bigger sips of the tea to keep it from becoming to unpleasant for my tastes. This one can be felt in the back of the throat, which I like (but wasn't attuned to until recently). The muscatel is quite pronounced, and was noticeable with the cup a few feet away. This one is a bit more "wild" than some of the previous ones, however. It's not quite as mature or refined, but I would call it a good basic Darjeeling. One thing it does have that I don't find as much of in the others is a slightly woody character that seems to provide the foundation for the muscatel.

2006

I actually like this one a bit better than the newer one. I am actually noticing a slightly more "green" vegetal aspect instead of the woody character. This one is a bit better refined - perhaps a year of age has helped it a bit. I would also say it's a bit rounder and smoother, and the muscatel is in better harmony with the rest. The astringency is not as pronounced, and does more to clean the palate than really dry it out. The muscatel is a bit strange to try to describe, but it's like a purple grape flavor in a white grape body. The flavor overall is quite full.

Big thanks to Ankit Lochan for the samples! I will get the others tasted and reviewed as soon as possible.