Whittard Darjeeling Tea
Whittard Darjeeling
Whittards teas have been established since 1886 and I’ve always been a fan of their Lapsang Souchong for a number of years. Its one of the biggest tea and coffee supply chains in the UK and was originally set up by a Walter Whittard on Fleet Street at the height of the UK tea industry.
Imports from India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and other parts of the old empire were plentiful and demand was high.
Today its stores number in the undreds across the country and I recently decided I’d go for a browse and restock on a few of my dwindling supplies (I have approx. 16 varieties at any one time). So I got myself some Badamtam First Flush Darjeeling and it comes as loose leaf. Its not one I’d tried before and I expected great things considering the price.
However, I was to be disappointed. Darjeeling teas are traditionally a delicate flavour with no bitter aftertaste - this one was different. There was a sharp sting in the tale of this tea and when drinking it you felt positively cheated. Although better than your average supermarket teas it was still seriously lacking in quality kick with a low quality bitterness you’d more often find in dry and poorly kept teas.
Whittards have let themselves down with this line, which is a shame because I’ve always been a fan of their other teas and I will still continue to buy their Lapsangs and green teas but this Darjeeling didn’t pass muster unfortunately.
October 3rd, 2006 saat: 12:56 pm
I have to say, I’ve quite often been disappointed with Whittard teas. Sure, they’re a cut above bog-market supermarket fare, but not much more than that. Their ‘Peach-Blossom Oolong’ had none of the subtlety of the identically-named tea I got from Fortnum & Mason; their specialty black teas often just seem a bit blander than they should, like they’re too old and they’ve just not been stored quite right.
July 27th, 2007 saat: 3:56 pm
I am delighted to discover your blog! Up until a few months ago, my only exposure to blogs was political. Now, I not only have one of my own but I am discovering the creative pulse of the venue!
I have often purchased from Harney & Sons, as well as a lovely Chinese woman who owns a an awesome tea store in Claremont, CA., USA. She has walls of tins filled with every variety of loose teas. She is very particular about getting the cream of the crop.
I will be perusing your entries and I definitely plan to try some that you have been exuberant about!
Blessings, kj
March 20th, 2008 saat: 8:04 am
nice blog,I am a Darjeeling tea fan and I simply believe in drinking single estate teas,I use to order my teas from the Upton teas but recently I discovered this company from Darjeeling named Tea Emporium http://www.teaemporium.net ,they serve with some of the finest darjeeling teas from various plantations from darjeeling and one can also mail order their wonderful teas.