Known as the champagne of teas, Darjeeling tea is famed for its sparkling clarity of taste and crystalline sweetness, benefiting from the steady rainfall, light soil and cool air of the Himalayan foothills. The British first established plantations in Darjeeling in the 1840s, using seeds smuggled from China, and some of the original China Jat bushes are still cultivated today.

Picked during the second harvest of the year between May and June, this Second Flush Darjeeling takes on some of the warmth of late spring, with developed fruit notes coming through in the cup. You'll often hear connoisseurs refer to the muscatel quality of a good Second Flush variety, and its true that this particular Darjeeling tea has a real sense of that delicious dessert wine sweetness. Far lighter than most black teas, Darjeeling is best brewed lightly and enjoyed without milk - you'll find its sublimely refreshing at any time of day.

• Origin: India

• Tea type: Black

• Number of servings (using 1 teabag per cup): 50 teabags = 50 cups

Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.