Royal Darjeeling Rajah Imperial

Appearance. Royal Darjeeling Rajah Imperial has crystal-clear clarity, described by Royal Blue Tea as deriving from its silvery tea leaves.^[1]

Nose. The tea carries a mellow, calm aroma.^[2]

Palate. The palate is described as clear and pure, free of astringency and off-flavors, with a mellow taste. It finishes with an elegant aftertaste.^[3]

Makaibari Winter Buds — Base Leaf. The tea leaves for Royal Darjeeling Rajah Imperial originate from the Makaibari (Makai Bari) Tea Estate in the Darjeeling region of West Bengal, India, at an altitude of approximately 1,300 meters. The leaves are drawn from a special cultivation area of the estate. They are hand-picked on full moon nights during winter, on days when snow or frost falls, with new buds picked one by one.^[1],[3]

Royal Darjeeling Rajah Imperial is a black tea built from winter-picked Darjeeling leaf, and Royal Blue Tea describes it as inspired by ice wine. The material is the tiny new buds that sprout on clear, cold midwinter days, when snow lies on the garden. Picking is done by hand, bud by bud, on the day of the full moon in winter rather than in autumn or spring, and on days when snow or frost falls.^{[1],[2],[3],[4]}

Hand-Rolling Technique. The rolling process for Royal Darjeeling Rajah Imperial incorporates the hand-rolling technique used in gyokuro tea manufacturing.^[2]