Darjeeling Summer Muscatel Black

Crafted from Darjeeling's celebrated summer harvest, this Muscatel reveals juicy apricot, delicate plum, and soft cedar notes in a silky, elegantly lingering cup.

Pack Size:

100g/3.5oz

100g/3.5oz

SAVE 5%

300g/10.5oz

SAVE 10%

500g/17.5oz

SAVE 12%

1Kg/35.2oz

Variant

Story

Every summer, as Darjeeling's famed tea gardens reach their seasonal peak, the hills produce leaves celebrated for their unmistakable muscatel character. Inspired by this fleeting harvest, our master tasters embarked on a meticulous journey, evaluating more than 200 exceptional teas to create a blend that captures the very essence of the season.

Drawn from select gardens nestled between 4,000 and 5,500 feet, each component reflects the remarkable terroir that defines Darjeeling - cool mountain breezes, mist-covered mornings, and mineral-rich soils that nurture slow, expressive growth. The result is our signature Darjeeling Summer Muscatel Black: an elegant in-house creation that celebrates the region's iconic summer flush with remarkable depth, finesse, and a lingering sense of place in every cup.

Why Premium Pricing?

Excellence like this is built — through vision, discernment, and dedication.

We could offer you just another Darjeeling.
But then, your Darjeeling Summer Muscatel Black wouldn’t be:

- Selected from 200+ summer samples
- Made from just 4–5 standout batches
- Drawn from elevations of 4000–5500 ft
- Crafted in small, artisanal batches
- Curated for its signature Muscatel profile
- Delivered garden-fresh to your cup

With Teabox, premium isn’t just about price — it’s about promise. Of authenticity, artistry, and the timeless spirit of Darjeeling in every sip.

Shipping

Your order undergoes 1 day of processing, and we provide a tracking link once it has shipped. Delivery times vary based on the chosen shipping option:

Express: 5-8 days
Standard: 12-18 days

Since we ship fresh teas from the Himalayan foothills in India that normally cover 10,000+ miles via air, to qualify for free Express shipping, order value thresholds are as follows for these countries.

Australia - 74 AUD
Canada - 64 CAD
Russia - 8,000 RUB
Singapore - 52 SGD
South Korea - 59347 KRW
United Arab Emirates - 148 AED
United Kingdom - 30 GBP
USA - 39 USD

For EU countries, please note that we collect nominal duties and taxes up front (on the checkout), and the price you pay is the landed cost/door-delivery cost. You would not have to pay anything extra.

For other countries, unless specified otherwise at checkout, our terms of trade are 'DAP' (Delivered at Place without payment of duty and taxes of the destination country). Under DAP, the buyer is responsible for paying for the goods, import clearance inspection, import formalities, destination duties and taxes, and providing a complete address with correct contact details. Teabox is responsible for providing the goods with the necessary documentation, arranging pickup, carriage, and door delivery, and handling origin customs formalities.

Freshness Journey

Real fresh teas with transparent evidence of 'where' the tea was manufactured, and 'when' it was manufactured, verified by picking and processing dates

Picked & Processed

27th July'26

Arrived at Teabox

Within 24 hrs of manufacturing of the teas at estate, we receive them

28th July'26

Sorted & Cleaned

We do hand sorting of the teas to ensure our customers only receive whole leaves and not dust

28th July'26

Vacuum Packed

We vacuum pack the teas to ensure freshness and protect it from the 4 enemies (light/heat/moisture/oxygen)

28th July'26

Stored for Freshness

Post vacuum packing, the teas are stored in one of its kind cold chain facility in India to ensure the quality is preserved

28th July'26

Ready to Ship

Usually delivers within 5-7 Biz Days

29th July'26

The Reason Why Your Teas Are Fresh

Harvest

We believe in 100% Transparency of product traceability & its origins

Second Flush

The season of teas picked between the four flushes(harvests) of the year

Season

Muscatel

Represents the cultivar of the Tea Plant

Speciality

SFTGFOP1

Refers to Special Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe One: Simply the best & finest in whole leaf quality

Grade

Medium

The amount of Caffeine this tea contains

Caffeine

Certifications

100% Pure & Fresh Darjeeling Tea

Certified by the Tea Board of India under the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India. Darjeeling CTM License No.- DJ/489/13032015/TE

TEA BOARD OF INDIA LICENCE

DARJEELING CERTIFIED TRADE MARK

With the rise of adulterated Darjeeling teas blended with teas from different regions, it is important to choose an authentic Indian brand. All of our Darjeeling teas, sourced fresh from the gardens, are sold with a Certified Trademark license.

How To Steep

Step 1

Start by heating water in a kettle

Step 2

Measure precise tea leaves for the teapot/infuser.

Step 3

Pour the hot water over the leaves

Step 4

Let it steep for the recommended duration

Step 5

Strain and enjoy sipping your freshly steeped tea.

Steeping Method

5.07fl oz/
150 ml

185°-194°F/
85°C-90°C

2Tsp/2.5g/
0.09oz

5
mins

Steep
Once

Storage Instructions

Store in a cool dry place away from heat, sunlight and moisture. Use an airtight container to minimize contact with O2

Tasting Notes

From our Chief Tea Taster

Aroma

A delicate bouquet of light muscatel notes unfolds with ripe nectarine sweetness, gracefully layered over subtle woody nuances.

Appearance

Amber

Taste

A beautifully supple, medium-bodied cup that opens with vibrant notes of ripe apricot and sun-ripened stone fruits, evoking the richness of dried drupes at their peak. The palate unfolds gracefully, revealing layers of delicate sweetness balanced by gentle nutty undertones that lend warmth, texture, and remarkable depth.

As the infusion evolves, lively Mirabelle plum brings a bright, tart-fruity vibrancy that enlivens the cup without overpowering its refined character. Subtle cedar nuances emerge towards the finish, weaving seamlessly with the tea's signature muscatel profile to create a beautifully structured and harmonious expression.

Long, elegant, and deeply satisfying, the finish lingers with whispers of orchard fruit, soft woody accents, and the unmistakable muscatel character that has made Darjeeling's celebrated summer harvest one of the world's most treasured seasonal teas.

YOU ASKED WE ANSWERED

What does 'Muscatel' mean in tea?

Muscatel' refers to a rare, naturally occurring flavor in some Darjeeling second flush teas—marked by fruity sweetness and a distinct aroma reminiscent of muscat grapes or Muscat wine.

It’s a prized characteristic, shaped by specific cultivars, terroir, and the timing of the summer harvest.

Who coined the term 'Muscatel'?

The term was coined in 1986 by iconic Darjeeling tea planter Mr. Arun Kumar Gomden.

He first identified this unique grape-like character in second flush Chinary teas and named it “Muscatel” after the Muscat grape, not musk. It marked a tea with soft, fruity depth and lingering finish unlike typical summer teas.

Which tea estate first produced Muscatel tea?

Castleton Tea Estate in Darjeeling’s Kurseong Valley was the first to craft a Muscatel tea in 1986.
A small 21 kg batch was auctioned at a record-breaking ₹1,460/kg—an unheard-of price at the time.

How does Muscatel tea taste?

Muscatel teas are full-bodied and aromatic with a signature grape-like fruitiness.

Expect notes of muscat grape, ripe stone fruits like peach or apricot, and a mellow sweetness. The cup is rich, slightly brisk, and finishes with a lingering floral or musky-sweet echo.

Does this tea contain caffeine?

Yes. Like all black teas from the Camellia sinensis plant, Muscatel teas naturally contain caffeine.

Summer harvests, with slightly longer oxidation, have moderate to high caffeine levels—typically around 40–60 mg per cup (180ml).

Can this tea be re-steeped?

Muscatel teas are best enjoyed in a single infusion, where their layered flavors and signature muscatel notes are most vibrant and expressive.

Are these teas sustainably sourced?

Yes! At Teabox, we are committed to sourcing teas from renowned estates that uphold ethical and sustainable practices. Our teas come from gardens that prioritize environmental responsibility and fair labor practices, ensuring both quality and social impact.

By choosing Teabox, you support a tea culture rooted in sustainability and care—for the land, the people, and your cup.

Frequently Purchased

a tea of my choice

Just a classic high quality and reasonably priced indian tea

Love at first taste

First time for muscatel
I’m in love
I will always love yoooooooo
My new favorite

Excellent tea

Excellent strong flavour!
If your teas were cheaper, would buy more.

The only kind of black tea I would drink.

I am not a tea drinker. I bought this for my daughter, the tea drinker. I had to try it out for myself though. I received the package on Friday - yesterday -and am on my 2nd pot. This tea id lovely. From the clear amber gold colour, to the fresh taste, it's worth the money for the experience. What I did not like was the delivery company messing around, telling me they could not find me home. During said times, Amazon delivery found me in. Evri found me in. The Royal mail found me in. This is the only reason I would not place a repeat order.

Perfect, fresh Darjeeling flavor.

Fresh flavor, exactly as advertised, arrived in a reasonable time from India.

Interesting and likeable variation to regular tea.

There is something very satisfying about the muscatel overtones in this tea. Never had it before but have taken quite a liking to it. Do try it.

All the stars!

Fabulous tea. A mouth full of flavor. The body is between medium and heavy. The flavor opens with something woody and ends on peach. Plus others I can't describe. Furthermore, I may have got it too strong and partially washed out the flavor with tannins, so it might be ever better than I thought.

Great flavor

Love the full flavor of this tea!

Darjeeling Summer Muscatel Black

Freshness Journey

The Reason Why Your Teas Are Fresh

Harvest

Certifications

How To Steep

Tasting Notes

YOU ASKED WE ANSWERED

Frequently Purchased

Customer Reviews