Darjeeling tea (oolong)

Darjeeling

Darjeeling Oolong tea
Type:	Oolong
Other names:	NA
Origin:	Darjeeling, India
Quick description:	Chocolatey Oolong, characteristic of teas from the region.

Darjeeling Oolong is a type of tea produced in Darjeeling, India, in the style of Oolong.

Darjeeling Oolong has two distinct characters: one is Clonal type and the other is China type. The China type is more similar to Taiwan Oolong and the Clonal type is totally different from it.

Darjeeling Oolong is lighter than usual Darjeeling black tea during First Flush, as it is semi-oxidized. The cup looks light orange and infusion remains green. Darjeeling Oolong in second flush is more accepted worldwide. It is more thick in cup and dark orange in liquor with distinct Muscatel flavours. The China type oolong has very rare muscatel flavour and sells somewhere around US$40–200 per kg. Clonal Oolong has distinct flowery or spicy taste and not much accepted as Darjeeling Oolong Worldwide.

All Darjeeling Gardens are not qualified to produce Darjeeling Oolong maintaining all the factors. Gardens with the following conditions are capable of making Darjeeling Oolong -

1. Altitude (High Altitude at 3000 ft above sea level) is required.
2. Old China bush (Chesima) concentration should be there. At least 40 % of total tea growing area.
3. Clonal type (AV II) is required – at least 25 % at high altitude. (Like Tingling Division Of Singbulli tea Estate.)
4. Area should not absorb too much heat during any time of the season.
5. Average temperature should remain 5–20 °C throughout the season.

Lower Elevation garden can only make the look but they will be far away in flavour which is the main characteristics of Oolong tea. Lower elevation Oolong can be considered as fake darjeeling oolong.

Darjeeling Oolong teas are made from finely plucked leaves usually two leaf and a bud and sometimes withered naturally in sun and air. The withered leaves get hand-rolled and pan-fired at certain temperature. This can also be done in machine. Withered in trough, light rolled in rolling machine and fired at 220 °C in Quality Drier with faster run-through depending on the leaves that has been used.