Good morning. I love Darjeeling tea. This past summer I spent almost 1 month in Sri Lanka and I toured many of the tea plantations. I also took tea master tasting lessons at the Australian Tea Masters in Columbo. I'm much more knowledgeable than most tea drinkers but I am no expert and I was thinking of potentially visiting Darjeeling. I have a friend in Kolkata who I could ask to send me some samples of tea that you recommend from tea merchants in Kolkata who sells good quality Darjeeling teas at fair prices. If there is some way you can send me those names via message here and if there's more than one and their contact info, possibly a website or WhatsApp. If I do visit Darjeeling, can you recommend some Darjeeling merchants there?You are going to kill me when you hear this but every light tea I have had I don't really love. Some are okay but I just like my teas with a splash of oat milk which calms down the tannins and just brings out the flavor that I love. No sugar. One of my favorites that meets this criteria is a Ceylon long leaf black tea which the teacher told me is bold with a little fruitiness. Based on that, what flushes should I look for and what cut such as broken etc. If you can recommend a Darjeeling for someone who does not like a green or grassy or earthy tea I could enjoy without milk and really taste the unique Darjeeling flavors I'm open to that too.Also, is there a way to know which are fake Darjeeling?Thank you for your help. Bob
Good morning. I love Darjeeling tea. This past summer I spent almost 1 month in Sri Lanka and I toured many of the tea plantations. I also took tea master tasting lessons at the Australian Tea Masters in Columbo. I'm much more knowledgeable than most tea drinkers but I am no expert and I was thinking of potentially visiting Darjeeling. I have a friend in Kolkata who I could ask to send me some samples of tea that you recommend from tea merchants in Kolkata who sells good quality Darjeeling teas at fair prices. If there is some way you can send me those names via message here and if there's more than one and their contact info, possibly a website or WhatsApp. If I do visit Darjeeling, can you recommend some Darjeeling merchants there?You are going to kill me when you hear this but every light tea I have had I don't really love. Some are okay but I just like my teas with a splash of oat milk which calms down the tannins and just brings out the flavor that I love. No sugar. One of my favorites that meets this criteria is a Ceylon long leaf black tea which the teacher told me is bold with a little fruitiness. Based on that, what flushes should I look for and what cut such as broken etc. If you can recommend a Darjeeling for someone who does not like a green or grassy or earthy tea I could enjoy without milk and really taste the unique Darjeeling flavors I'm open to that too.Also, is there a way to know which are fake Darjeeling?Thank you for your help. Bob