Darjeeling First Flush from Jadu Tea

Love & Tea

Product Review

For a while, the concept of tea was thus: processed gratuitously through massive industries that obliterated quality and focused on mass markets: the shredded, bleached, deadened leaves packaged in cheap tea bags and plonked into boiling water, drowned in milk and corrupted with white sugar.

Tea and love are things I clearly feel strongly about, and Jadu is a brand that works tirelessly to preserve the rich and varied heritage of proper tea. The leaves are treated with respect, judiciously and carefully cut and dried, so that when you steep them they bloom and slowly release their aroma. Time stops for just a little bit as you cup the tea and feel the warmth of the natural fragrance, grassy for the China Green or citrusy for the Mademoiselle Grey.

The teas are packaged in smart velveteen boxes of midnight blue, with a lustrous gloss that alludes to the luxury of the product within.

The Mademoiselle Grey, a twist on the traditional Earl Grey blend, is my favourite from Jadu and in fact from any of the teas I’ve tried thus far. Sri Lankan Uva black tea is used to give the classic depth of original Earl Grey blend, which is then enhanced with fresh bergamot and enlivened with lemon peel, orange, lemongrass and striking red cornflowers.

For a more savoury finish try the full-bodied green tea blend from Jadu, picked from farms in the Yunnan province of China, one of the oldest tea growing regions in the world. The China Green tea leaves are carefully rolled and their delicate taste preserved from plant to teacup.

The Mango Lime uses Chinese white tea as a base, known for its abundance of antioxidants, which produces a light-hearted and fruity brew.

The Darjeeling First Flush has a clear, untainted muscatel character that produces a refreshing golden liquor when steeped.

Named after the ancient Sanskrit word for ‘magic’, Jadu Tea is a London-based luxury brand with an emphasis on quality, care and long term commitment.

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I was sent the products to review