hmm. So I guess I have some mixed feelings about this one. My first steep was at 4 minutes with boiling water and I should have known that was too hot because the package says 190 F. It got too bitter and astringent for me. I am used to treating darjeelings more or less like a black tea but I think I need to start treating them more like oolongs. My mistake for sure.
So in my second steep, it got steeped more like a green tea for 3 minutes with around 160 F. Now I’m getting some more pleasant apricot jam like notes in addition to floral & vanilla. But yeah the astringency is still lurking there. I might need to start all over again with this one or perhaps this is a gateway into a learning experience that I might want to avoid first flush darjeelings in the future? I suspect it needs a more delicate tasting perhaps in the gaiwan. Stay tuned…
