Pouring tea at the celebrated Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, Canada, is as ceremonious an affair as tea poured in any of the world’s grand edifices. What sets a pot of tea apart at the Fairmont, however, is the fact that Michael Obnowlenny, Canada’s only tea sommelier, is an integral part of the ceremony. For, in a world where many still make a living explaining the joys of wine, this sommelier gets paid to talk Tea. Eschew all thoughts of a total snob, his mandate is to turn on a new generation to the joys of the new teas (40% of his tea habituees are in their 20s), and to remove the intimidation. This he has accomplished, for The Royal York is enjoying a Tea Renaissance. The hotel’s afternoon tea attendance has tripled since his arrival at the hotel. He has, by the way, been at the hotel less than a year.

Tea-time is also the new way of networking. This according to Melanie Coates, regional director of public relations Central/Eastern Canada. “Tea in this busy business district is the new business lunch,” Coates shares with Thursday Life. “It’s also an opportunity to really get to know the person you plan to conduct business with; and what better opportunity to observe the social skills?”

Indeed. For after a sip of “marteani,” which for the uninitiated, is tea and vodka stirred a table at the Royal York’s Epic restaurant (created by Obnowlenny), it’s time for tea patrons to be introduced to the C$30.00 Royal Tea Stand. The fare includes seasonal berry cocktail, Grand Marnier toasted crumpets, finger sandwiches, fruit scones and finger pastries.

For the serious business of which tea to order, we are all ears as the tea sommelier relates the story behind our selection of Margaret’s Hope Darjeeling – 2nd flush.

Country of origin: India

Region: Darjeeling -Northern India

Shipping port: Calcutta

Grade: TGFOP (tippy Golden Flavoury Orange Pekoe)

Altitude: 6800 feet above sea level

Manufacture type: Orthodox

Cup characteristics: A 2nd flush tea with body and a round cup. Delightful fresh characters with a delicious muscatel finish. Darjeeling’s most famous tea estate.

Infusion: bright, tending light.

The more on Margaret’s Hope Darjeeling is the perfect tea-time love story.

In the first part of the last century Mr Bagdon, who lived in London, owned and visited his tea garden (in India) regularly. He had two daughters. His youngest, Margaret, accompanied him during the 1930s on a trip to his estate. She fell in love with the Tea Garden, and planned to return.

This was not to be as she fell ill on board ship during the return trip to England, and died soon after. Her distraught father (in her memory) changed the garden’s name to Margaret’s Hope. It is believed that she visits the estate bungalow from the western side, coming through the main guestroom and leaving from the study through the verandah to the tennis courts.

The bushes at Margaret’s Hope are almost entirely the Chinese Jat (genus), accounting for the garden-leafed tippy appearance of the manufactured leaf and the superb fragrance. Because the tea is grown at such high altitudes and in relatively cool weather, the bushes do not grow quickly, and as such the production is limited. The best time of the year is during “second-flush” (end of May to the end of June). During this time Darjeeling is incomparable to any other tea in the world. The fragrance and taste is a complex bouquet that reaches right out of the cup. Some would describe the taste as nutty; others find it reminds them of blackcurrants, but most often it is described as similar to the taste and fragrance of the muscat grapes.

Michael Obnowlenny describes Margaret’s Hope as “the best in the world”.