Jan 8th, '11, 16:55
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Need help identifying a Darjeeling I got at a persian market

by AlphaWhelp » Jan 8th, '11, 16:55


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Jan 8th, '11, 22:17
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Re: Need help identifying a Darjeeling I got at a persian market

by Tead Off » Jan 8th, '11, 22:17

The tea has the Darjeeling logo on the label but it is probably bought in bulk and packaged in Iran using the seller's own label, not identifying where the tea comes from. Nice tin.

Jan 12th, '11, 21:39
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Re: Need help identifying a Darjeeling I got at a persian market

by Sirwill » Jan 12th, '11, 21:39

It doesn't look too high of quality, because of the stems in the dry leaf. The color is very much coppery and not on the green side, which leads me to believe that it is a second flush most likely.
It is difficult to tell from the photos.

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Re: Need help identifying a Darjeeling I got at a persian market

by Chip » Jan 12th, '11, 22:06

I would guess that so called "Darjeeling tea" sold in a canister from Iran sold in a Persian market would contain generic leaf.

Also given that much more Darjeeling tea is sold each year than is produced (yes, think about this and it is true), this is more likely a blend including Nilgiri, Nepal, Sikkim and Darjeeling teas.

IMHO.

Jan 12th, '11, 23:42
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Re: Need help identifying a Darjeeling I got at a persian market

by edkrueger » Jan 12th, '11, 23:42

Its Darjeeling tea! Identified!

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Jan 13th, '11, 11:26
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Re: Need help identifying a Darjeeling I got at a persian market

by Tead Off » Jan 13th, '11, 11:26

Chip wrote:I would guess that so called "Darjeeling tea" sold in a canister from Iran sold in a Persian market would contain generic leaf.

Also given that much more Darjeeling tea is sold each year than is produced (yes, think about this and it is true), this is more likely a blend including Nilgiri, Nepal, Sikkim and Darjeeling teas.

IMHO.
Chip,

It's hard to know if a package of tea is all Darjeeling leaf. In this case, you have the logo. But, I wouldn't assume it is not Darjeeling as this tea is exported all over the world and India and Iran are not that far away from each other.

When I was in Darjeeling, sellers talked about the problem of mixing tea and labeling it Darjeeling, but, they were referring to the practice of some tea gardens to take tea grown in the lowlands at the foot of the mountains that lead to Darjeeling and blend them with their own leaf thereby creating more quantity. Makaibari and some other 'big' growers were often mentioned in conjunction with this practice. I have no way of knowing the truth of this but heard it spoken of. In any case, it's usually better to buy the teas from the smaller gardens and from the higher altitudes.

Also, Nepal and Sikkim teas are virtually the same as Darjeeling. Of course, quality will vary from garden to garden but cultivar, altitude, and, weather are pretty much identical. They are all right next to each other on the map. Take away the names and it's all one region. It's quite a big growing area.

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Re: Need help identifying a Darjeeling I got at a persian market

by Chip » Jan 13th, '11, 18:43

The point is, if you buy an estate tea from a reputable seller, you are much more likely to get the real deal.

And a lot of the tea being sold as Darjeeling is blended with tea from other regions ... someone has to be getting this.

Canister tea is notorious for often being crap. You get the pretty tin and the tea is often gross or worse. I have purchased enough canister tea to know this, most of it is undrinkable and actually frightens me to think what many of these teas might contain. Yet I still might buy this canister of tea, but more likely for the canister ...

As I stated, it is just my opinion.

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Jan 14th, '11, 13:13
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Re: Need help identifying a Darjeeling I got at a persian market

by Tead Off » Jan 14th, '11, 13:13

Chip wrote:The point is, if you buy an estate tea from a reputable seller, you are much more likely to get the real deal.

And a lot of the tea being sold as Darjeeling is blended with tea from other regions ... someone has to be getting this.

Canister tea is notorious for often being crap. You get the pretty tin and the tea is often gross or worse. I have purchased enough canister tea to know this, most of it is undrinkable and actually frightens me to think what many of these teas might contain. Yet I still might buy this canister of tea, but more likely for the canister ...

As I stated, it is just my opinion.
Right, but you can't be sure if this tea in the tin is not pure Darj.

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Re: Need help identifying a Darjeeling I got at a persian market

by Chip » Jan 14th, '11, 14:09

Right, as I stated now for the third time, this is my opinion. However, I would also place odds on it.

We are after all just discussing what might be in the tin, nobody can say with 100% certainty what is in there. This is why I have stated with each post that this is just my opinion, but also offer reasoning as well.

Again, my opnion and experience, so often the tins of tea found in ethnic food stores either contain low grade tea or complete knock offs. Look at Long Jing, perfect example. I have likely purchased 10 different tins of LJ from Chinatown shops, etc. None of it is LJ, and all of it is crap. Heh, still I would buy another one.

The contents of these canisters is often pretty scary, Iannon I think got LJ that tasted like deer jerky.

Given the preponderance of evidence of of the existance of both knock off LJ and Darjeeling, and that they likely often find there ways into decorative tins found in ethnic markets ... I make this opinion that I feel should be given based upon the OP and topic.

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Jan 14th, '11, 15:04
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Re: Need help identifying a Darjeeling I got at a persian market

by Chip » Jan 14th, '11, 15:04


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Jan 14th, '11, 22:29
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Re: Need help identifying a Darjeeling I got at a persian market

by Tead Off » Jan 14th, '11, 22:29

Chip wrote:Right, as I stated now for the third time, this is my opinion. However, I would also place odds on it.

We are after all just discussing what might be in the tin, nobody can say with 100% certainty what is in there. This is why I have stated with each post that this is just my opinion, but also offer reasoning as well.

Again, my opnion and experience, so often the tins of tea found in ethnic food stores either contain low grade tea or complete knock offs. Look at Long Jing, perfect example. I have likely purchased 10 different tins of LJ from Chinatown shops, etc. None of it is LJ, and all of it is crap. Heh, still I would buy another one.

The contents of these canisters is often pretty scary, Iannon I think got LJ that tasted like deer jerky.

Given the preponderance of evidence of of the existance of both knock off LJ and Darjeeling, and that they likely often find there ways into decorative tins found in ethnic markets ... I make this opinion that I feel should be given based upon the OP and topic.
Maybe all of the crap is being shipped to America? :lol:

Jan 23rd, '11, 18:13
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Re: Need help identifying a Darjeeling I got at a persian market

by AlphaWhelp » Jan 23rd, '11, 18:13

I just want to say that the very first thing I thought when I made a cup of this tea was "this tastes cheap" but it's still pretty good... it just tastes cheap, which isn't necessarily bad, I mean I paid 8 dollars for the tin + tea included and there is a lot of tea, the tin is packed to near bursting point with tea, and it's one of the larger tins that I own, so I'm not really feeling ripped off.

if I had to hazard a total guess as to what flush this is based entirely on liquor color, I would say first, but I am not a darjeeling expert by any stretch of the imagination.

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