Darjeeling tea Darjeeling tea Darjeeling tea is a tea grown in the Darjeeling district in West Bengal, India, and widely exported and known. It is processed as black, green, white and oolong tea. When properly brewed, it yields a thin-bodied, light-coloured infusion with a floral aroma. The flavour can include a tinge of astringent tannic characteristics and a musky spiciness sometimes described as "muscatel". Unlike most Indian teas, Darjeeling tea is normally made from the small-leaved Chinese variety of "Camellia sinensis" var. "sinensis", rather than the large-leaved Assam plant ("C. sinensis" var. "assamica"). Traditionally, Darjeeling tea is made as black tea; however,
Darjeeling tea 1839 from Kathmandu, Nepal. In 1841, he brought seeds of the Chinese tea plant ("Camellia sinensis") from Kumaun and began to experiment with tea planting in Darjeeling. The British government also established tea nurseries during that period (1847). Commercial development began during the 1850s. In 1856, the Alubari tea garden was opened by the Kurseong and Darjeeling Tea company, followed by others. According to the Tea Board of India, "Darjeeling Tea" can only refer to tea that has been cultivated, grown, produced, manufactured and processed in tea gardens (see 'Tea Estates' section below) in the hilly areas of Sadar Subdivision,