Dammann Frères Darjeeling Black Tea (24 Enveloped Cristal® Sachets)

Few teas in the world carry the reputation of Darjeeling — often called the champagne of teas, and rightly so. This Dammann Frères Darjeeling is a summer selection combining leaves from a collection of prestigious Himalayan gardens, chosen for the well-balanced, nuanced cup they produce together. Presented in 24 individually enveloped Cristal® sachets, it brings the character of one of India's most celebrated growing regions to the cup with minimal fuss and no compromise on quality.

Darjeeling's story in the teapot began in the mid-nineteenth century, when tea plants were first cultivated in the northern foothills of West Bengal at elevations between 1,000 and 7,500 feet. The cool mountain air, mist, and monsoon rains of that Himalayan environment produce a tea unlike any other — lighter and more refined than most Indian black teas, with a delicacy that carries genuine geographical character. Darjeeling tea even holds protected designation of origin status, much like champagne itself: only tea grown and processed within the Darjeeling district may legally carry the name.

Dammann Frères is one of France's oldest and most distinguished tea houses, with roots going back to 1692, when King Louis XIV granted the original privilege to sell tea in France exclusively to the Dammann family. The Cristal® sachet — a Dammann Frères invention, made from a biodegradable, plant-derived mesh — was developed specifically to give tea leaves room to fully expand during brewing, delivering the depth and clarity of a well-made pot of loose leaf tea in a format that is both elegant and effortless. The individually enveloped sachets keep each portion perfectly fresh until the moment it is used.

The flavour of this Darjeeling is smooth and medium-bodied, with the distinctive muscatel notes — ripe peach and almond — that make the region's teas so sought after. There is a gently wine-like quality to the cup, a brightness that lifts it above the everyday, and a clean, lingering finish. It is a tea that rewards a little attention: drunk without milk from a fine cup, it reveals a complexity that many black teas simply cannot offer.

Since 2008, High Teas London has been one of the country's leading independent tea specialists, building a collection of over 350 teas and infusions from the world's finest gardens and tea houses. Stocking Dammann Frères is a natural part of that mission — bringing teas of genuine heritage and craftsmanship to those who care about what is in their cup.

Ingredients: Black tea (Camellia sinensis).

Brewing Note: Dammann Frères recommend steeping this Darjeeling for 3 to 5 minutes in freshly boiled water, though many Darjeeling lovers prefer water at around 90 to 95°C to preserve the tea's more delicate floral notes. Place the sachet in a pre-warmed cup, pour the water gently, and allow it to steep without squeezing — the Cristal® sachet will do the work quietly. Remove after your preferred time, and drink without milk to appreciate the full muscatel character. A shorter steep of around 3 minutes gives a lighter, more floral cup; 5 minutes brings more body and a slightly deeper flavour.