Darjeeling, Happy Valley black tea draws its unique aromas from the terroir of India’s Happy Valley – a tea garden at the foot of the Himalayas and grown at an altitude of approx. 2,100m above sea level.

Darjeeling’s unique climate, altitude and soil give this tea its distinct ripe fruit flavour, woody aroma, and delicate floral finish. The premium black tea which is often referred to as “the Champagne of tea” will make just about any tea lover smile.

The basic process for making black tea from fresh tea leaves is withering, rolling, oxidation, and drying. There are many variants of black tea often depending on the country producing them. They all generally have a golden/caramel/red-brown colour in the cup, and the flavours can range from earthy to fruity to malty on the nose and palate with sweet honey notes.

Rooibos is a South African tea made from red bush or Aspalathus linearis. This plant is grown native to South Africa and used for making either green – unfermented, or red – fermented rooibos teas. Rooibos became popular because of its delicate flavour and numerous health benefits, often compared to those of real tea.

Although rooibos brews into a cup of intense red tea, the flavour is very different from black teas. This red rooibos has a light, earthy, recognizable taste with natural sweetness.

Different botanicals have trended over time as people discover the health benefits they can have. Like all plants, herbs can change their strength due to different seasons and terroir. The different plant parts such as leaves, roots, flowers and bark are all affected by different seasons.