Differences between Taj Mahal *VS* Red Label tea

They're both made by Unilever. SO what's the difference? They also cost the same.

I personally think that the grain shapes are different, and that Taj Mahal has a brighter, less bitter taste.

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2.7182818284590...
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I think you answered your own question, as I was going to say the exact same thing. Texture and slight taste difference, I prefer the Taj Mahal myself.

- Dominic

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Dominic T.

I'm not going to brew any just for a post. From what I remember Taj Mahal was blended for Indian taste and Red Label for British. Even if not so I remember Taj Mahal more appropriate for milder afternoon tea and Red Label for wake me up morning tea.

Jim

PS New puppy chewed through my CAT router cable right behind me as I was composing. I had to splice the color coded 8 wires for this mornings posts.

2.7182818284590... wrote:
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Space Cowboy

When I was a kid we had a pet rabbit that would chew through the Christmas lights every year. I still can't figure out how it never got electrocuted...

Melinda

P.S. I have a local Indian store that has the Brook Bond but I didn't see Taj Mahal, but wasn't looking for it...is that the sort of place I'd find it? As an aside I saw them selling CTC in a clear plastic canister like one finds instant coffee in (the sort of jar-shaped plastic canister with the screw on lid). Novel packaging.

Reply to
Melinda

In the 1960s, my uncle who was a Tea Plantation manager, had described the differences in Tea quality. After curling, curing of tea leaves, it passes thru straining processes. The most expensive is the leaves that are in the finest (except tea dust that itself is preferred by many as it is very strong in taste and very fast in releasing taste and color) sieve where all the broad leaves have been captured in the upper sieves. The best is where all tea leaves are uniform in shape and size, like in present day Taj Mahal Tea. There should be no flat or uncurled leaves. I'm not sure if these uncurled or flat or brown or twigs are really Tea leaves or some other plant or garbage ?? I find Taj Mahal brand has very little of the crap while Red Label has a lots of this garbage. Tastewise, both are the same. BTW, Red Label did not use to have so much inferior leaves but it has been getting worst. Historically, as I recall: When Brooke Bond and Lipton were competing brands, Brooke Bond top brand was Red Label and Lipton's top brand was Yellow Label. Red Label was always more successful. Later Lipton introduced Taj Mahal brand as superior brand (higher price than Red Label) and still could not compete. When Lipton & Brooke Bond merged, I think, it was really Red Label Tea that they started packing in Taj Mahal and less refined one stayed in Red Label boxes.

Reply to
Rana

This is true for orthodox process tea, but at least here in the US the Taj Mahal and Lipton's Red Label that we get appear to be both CTC teas, where the leaves have been crushed in order to force liquid out of them which is dried on the outside of the leaf particles, making a more robust and quicker steeping tea.

I don't see anything that looks like a physical leaf in these teas, as imported here, just little round CTC grains.

In the US we primarily get Lipton's Yellow Label, which is very finely ground and makes for a nearly undrinkable cup, but Red Label is imported by many south asian grocery stores and is a far better product.

--scott

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Scott Dorsey

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