Waitrose Darjeeling Tea Bags Review | The Fragrance Of Darjeeling

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Waitrose Darjeeling Tea Review Summary

Waitrose Darjeeling Tea Review

Waitrose Darjeeling Tea smells delicious

I was hit with the fragrance of Darjeeling as soon as I opened the Waitrose box. It immediately transported me to the hills of Darjeeling.

I visited Darjeeling with my family in 2018 and it was an experience to remember. I remember visiting one of the lush green plantations in Darjeeling.

Outside the entrance, the streets were lined with little tea shops selling both brewed tea and packaged tea leaves from the plantation. My mum and I are both obsessed with cha/chai/milk tea like most Bangladeshis. So needless to say, we both ordered cha.

I kid you not when I tell you that it was the best tea I have tasted to date. Every sip was transformative and the aroma was something else. And the incredible view through the tiny tea shop window of the rolling clouds over the dark green hills?

Well, that was just the cake to my tea!

My mum and I spent most of our shopping money just buying tea from that tea store. We bought about a year’s worth of supplies and were very upset when we finally ran out.

So I can tell you I was very happy when I got my hands on this Waitrose box that smelled much like the magical Darjeeling tea.

In this article, we will explore:

• Brewing Conditions
• Aroma
• Taste
• Packaging
• Value for Money
• Caffeine Level
• Food Pairings
• About Waitrose
• Where to Buy

Brewing Conditions for Waitrose Darjeeling Tea:

I followed Waitrose’s instructions and poured boiling water over the teabag. I covered the cup to lock the aroma in and let it brew for 3 minutes.

While the first sip of the tea tasted good, it had some bitter notes, and the bitterness increased as more time passed.

So, my advice is to lower the water temperature and reduce the brewing time to extract less of the astringent notes. I recommend 90°C and a brewing time of about 2 minutes.

Aroma (5/5):

Like I mentioned, the Waitrose Darjeeling tea very much smelled like authentic Darjeeling tea. It’s an intoxicating smell like no other.

Taste (3/5):

The first few sips of the tea were very refreshing. However, with time, the tea started to feel too bitter to enjoy.

I honestly think that the best way to enjoy this tea is with milk, as it felt a little strong to drink on its own. I ended up making milk tea with it, and it was ah-mazing! I’ll have a recipe up for you soon!

Packaging (3/5):

The box has a pretty minimal design, which I like. It was made of paperboard.

The teabags were not individually wrapped. So once the box was opened, I had to store the tea bags in a separate container to preserve the Darjeeling tea aroma.

Waitrose is Fairtrade certified. However, I couldn’t find a lot of information on the sourcing of the tea or the make of the tea bags, which was a little disappointing.

I learned from their website that the tea bags contain Polypropylene plastic (PPP), a recyclable but non-biodegradable plastic.

Value for Money (4.5/5):

The box has 50 teabags for £1.95 (USD 2.5), which honestly sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Caffeine Level: Medium

Despite its strong taste, the tea did feel highly caffeinated. It was light and did not cause any jitters. You can enjoy this tea in the late afternoon, but it’s probably best to stay away from caffeine at night.

Food Pairings:

Because of Waitrose Darjeeling tea’s sharp flavor and taste, the best way to pair it would be with something sweet and indulgent to cut through. A rich, luxurious, nutty chocolate cake comes to mind! Yum!

About the brand: Waitrose

Waitrose is a chain of grocery stores in the UK that started in the early 20th century. They make their own tea and other products as well.

Waitrose’s brand aligns with sustainable practices. In fact, they’re one of the first grocery stores in the UK to launch compostable-at-home coffee pods and tea bags.

Where to Buy Waitrose Darjeeling Tea:

You can purchase Waitrose Darjeeling tea from various sources, including Amazon or Waitrose’s website (availability on Amazon may vary). Let me know if you try this tea!