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Darjeeling, India · Single-estate teas

Darjeeling Tea

From the Himalayan hills where our own tea story began. We select distinctive seasonal lots from gardens we know, chosen for clarity, character and a true sense of place.

Shop the current harvest

Happy Earth Tea began in Darjeeling in 2005. Today, our Darjeeling teas are selected by harvest and garden, then hand-packed in Rochester, New York.

Darjeeling tea garden in the Himalayan hills

The current harvest

Tea changes with the season.

Darjeeling is not one fixed flavor. Spring can be luminous and floral; summer develops greater depth, fruit and the elusive muscatel character for which the region is celebrated. These are the lots we are drinking now.

11 teas
Niraj Lama in Darjeeling tea country

From Darjeeling to Happy Earth Tea

2005

Our Tea Story Began in Darjeeling.

Niraj Lama grew up in Darjeeling, surrounded by one of the world's most celebrated tea regions. In 2005, we began selling tea online from Darjeeling under the name Darjeeling Tea Exclusive.

After moving to the United States, our exploration expanded to the wider world of tea and eventually became Happy Earth Tea. But Darjeeling remains where our tea journey began—and an important part of how we think about season, provenance and quality today.

Read our story →

Understanding the harvest

First Flush or Second Flush?

The season is one of the simplest—and most rewarding—ways to understand Darjeeling.

Spring · First Flush

Bright, floral, alive.

The year's first tender leaves are prized for their lifted aromatics, freshness and delicacy. Fine First Flush Darjeelings can feel closer in spirit to spring itself than to a conventional black tea.

FloralFreshCitrusDelicate
Explore First Flush →

Summer · Second Flush

Ripe, rounded, muscatel.

As the season warms, the cup deepens. Second Flush is known for amber liquor, ripe fruit, honeyed depth and the distinctive grape-like character tea drinkers call muscatel.

MuscatelStone fruitHoneyFuller
Explore Second Flush →

Go deeper: Darjeeling flushes explained →

The gardens

Place matters.

Darjeeling is a mosaic of gardens, elevations and exposures. We look for teas with an individual voice rather than a single standardized idea of what Darjeeling should taste like.

How we source our tea →

Darjeeling tea garden
Risheehat

Across the valley from Darjeeling town and part of our offerings for more than a decade—one of our longest direct garden relationships.

Okayti

A historic garden in the Mirik Valley and an important source for our current First Flush, Second Flush, and other specialty Darjeeling styles.

Jungpana

A celebrated name in Darjeeling whose spring teas can be vivid, energetic and highly aromatic.

Steinthal

One of Darjeeling's historic gardens, associated with classic high-grown character and the romance of the region's early tea history.

Nurbong

A garden we return to for expressive seasonal teas, including both spring and summer harvests.

Find your Darjeeling

Start with the cup you want.

Garden names and harvest terminology matter, but taste is still the best guide. These are useful starting points.

01

Fresh & floral

Look toward First Flush for lifted aromatics, brightness and delicacy.

Try: Okayti First Flush · Risheehat First Flush · Jungpana First Flush · Steinthal First Flush

02

Fruity & muscatel

Second Flush brings ripe fruit, grape-like muscatel and a deeper amber cup.

Try: Okayti Muscatel Second Flush · Okayti Amber · Nurbong Summer

03

Smooth & approachable

For teas with natural sweetness, balance and an immediately enjoyable character.

Try: Okayti First Flush · Risheehat First Flush · Okayti Muscatel Second Flush · Nurbong Summer · Okayti Reserve

04

Rare & unusual

Explore Darjeeling beyond traditional black tea through distinctive white and green styles.

Try: Darjeeling Silver Needle · Darjeeling Green

From the HET journal

Learn Darjeeling.

We have been writing about Darjeeling for more than a decade—from how the seasons work to how to brew the tea well.

Harvest

Darjeeling flushes explained

Read →

Brewing

Making a perfect cup of Darjeeling

Read →

History

The history of Darjeeling tea

Read →

Place

The tea gardens of Darjeeling

Read →

Brewing

Cold-brewing Darjeeling tea

Read →

Provenance

Where our tea comes from

Read →

Darjeeling, answered

A few useful things to know.

What is Darjeeling tea?
Darjeeling tea is tea grown in the Darjeeling region of the eastern Himalayas in India. Its character varies markedly by garden and harvest season, which is why we identify our teas by estate, flush and year.
Is Darjeeling a black tea?
Most famous Darjeeling teas are categorized as black tea, although their processing and appearance—especially in First Flush—can differ noticeably from conventional black teas. Darjeeling gardens also make green, white and other specialty styles.
What is First Flush Darjeeling?
First Flush is the early spring harvest, made from the first new growth after winter dormancy. It is generally prized for freshness, floral aromatics, brightness and a lighter body.
What does “muscatel” mean in Darjeeling tea?
Muscatel describes the distinctive ripe, grape-like fruit character associated with fine Darjeeling Second Flush teas. It can suggest muscat grapes, stone fruit and honey rather than an added flavor.
How should I brew Darjeeling tea?
For an 8-ounce cup, start with approximately 3 grams of tea. Water temperature and steeping time depend on the harvest and individual tea. Delicate First Flush teas often benefit from slightly cooler water, while fuller Second Flush teas can generally tolerate hotter water. For the best results, follow the brewing recommendations for your particular tea.
How do I choose between First and Second Flush?
Choose First Flush if you enjoy fresh, floral and delicate teas. Choose Second Flush if you prefer a fuller cup with ripe fruit, honeyed depth and muscatel character. Neither is inherently better—the pleasure is in how differently the seasons express the same region.

The current harvest

Every Darjeeling begins with a place and a season.

Explore the teas we have selected from this year's harvest and find the expression that belongs in your cup.

Shop Darjeeling tea
Hand-packed in Rochester, New York · Organic loose-leaf tea · 1% for the Planet member