Darjeeling PEarl Green - Teagardenia
Tea : Darjeeling Pearl Green
Producer: Teagardenia
Website: Darjeeling Pearl Green
Website description: This tea is one of its kind from Darjeeling, whole leafs are completely finger rolled into a ball. It has been made from a special Japanese clone and have a high quality Umami flavor with a good intensity. The dry pearls have a refreshing aroma. The cup starts with a smooth taste with vegetal notes, further a hint of pine flavor and finally a quality umami notes gives a long finish to it. The lingering aftertaste is amazing. The liquor is bright greenish yellow which attract the eyes. This rare tea is must try tea for all tea lovers
Brewing Specs
Water: 240 ml/ approximately 8 oz
Temperature: 175 F
Steep Time: 3.5 minutes for 3 gm
My Review System: https://artofthepair.com/tea-overview/
My Overall Impression (Score of 80.5%)
I love this tea. It has so many hints of green herbs in the profile that you want to explore. I want to give this a higher score, but I found the first brew lacking in aroma. This is not a bad thing; it’s showing what it will show in the nose. You have to look for the nuances which excite me. On the second brew, the aromas were the same, but much livelier and pronounced. Please note that I brewed this for 3.5 minutes (first one I’ve reviewed) attempting to extract everything I could.
The price as of 4/10/23 is $12.77 for 50 grams or 1.76 oz weight.
Broken down:
- 50 gm / 3 gm for steeping = 16.7 cups
- 16 cups from package = app 80 cents per cup
Typically, I double steep all my teas (use the tea twice) so I can get 32 cups or approximately 40 cents per cup. This is definitely in line with other teas I’ve reviewed and I would definitely pay this over and over for a good cup. Definitely worth checking out for the flavor nuances, and easy drinking.
Quick note: This is one of the few teas that I would be apprehensive with pairing food. Yes, you can do it, but I would try it first a couple of times and look at my suggestions below. It’s very delicate. On their site, it says to enjoy on its own.
Aromas
- Opening the package, faint tones of seaweed and dried parsley.
- Faint tones of marjoram, dill, and thyme.
- This is a flat bell curve meaning that none of the aromas really stand above the others on the profile.
- In the cup, its again very mild on the nose. Primary aromas faint dried herbs, dried grass and seaweed.
Flavors
- High umami mouthfeel giving the sensation of mushrooms.
- Reminds me of mesculin lettuce with various flavors.
- Delicate flavors of grass, parsley, and herbs.
- Smooth, creamy mouthfeel.
- Long umami finish (especially in second brew).
Scores
- Aromas (3.8/5)
- Flavors (8.2/10)
- Overall impression (4.1/5)
- Total score = 80.5 percent (16.1/20)
Foods to Pair and Why
- Mushroom tart to match the umami, flavors, and mouthfeel.
- A Mesculin Salad with poached chicken and herb dressing to match the flavors, aromas and contrast the acid levels.
- Sauté a sunny side up egg for breakfast cooked in an infused herbal olive oil.
- Lightly sauteed scallops with fresh herbs to match the umami, mouthfeel, acids, and flavors.
