Oh, Darjeeling!
So I’m really hard up on deciding which First Flush Darjeeling to get from Darjeeling Tea Boutique.
The proprietor, Niranjan, has recommended Puttabong, Rohini, and Badamtam as his top three pick.
The first is said to come from Chinese tea bushes, giving it a characteristic Darjeeling taste with some astringency, while the latter two come from AV2 clonal bushes, which are said to be floral/fruity and have less astringency.
Being able to pick only one, I’m having a very hard time deciding. I’m hoping if anybody here with Darjeeling experience can help me out?
Many thanks!
I would sample first. Personally I don’t like first flush. Do you prefer first to second? First flush is finicky.
I’ve only had Autumn Flush so far, really. All I know of the first two flushes is what I’ve read about them. I figured I’d try first flush because they say it’s had the most resting time or… something like that. You know. Right after winter and all that stuff…
Pls sample FF and SF. Darj are expensive teas. FF more green and astringent. SF more like black floral muscatel(grapes) and stone fruits. FF are very temperamental. You have to practice with temp and time.
I suppose I could order the sample pack. Contains DTB teas from all three flushes. Though at $69 that’s… going to take a while to save up for. =/
Golden Tips has 50% on samplers.
http://goldentipstea.com/collections/samplers
You just can’t beat the price. Plus look up for 10% on a top in miscellaneous sales thread. You get such a variety. Amazing deal
What is DTB?
Quite a bit of variety there. And well, Darjeeling Tea Boutique. S’where I got my Autumn Flush. So yeah…
I prefer the second flush over first flush but The Darjeeling 1st FLush has its own Characters which is priceless, try The MArgarest Hope 1st Flush i usually love it.
And there are many websites you can browse through but personally i usually get excellent deals at udyantea.com
It all depends on your preferences. If you don’t know and if you have not tasted Spring Flush Darjeelings, then go for the sample pack. What is difficult with sample packs is the small amount of leaves they offer. I agree. Spring Flush Darjeelings are temperamental and it takes trial and error to determine the best parameters, time of steep, amount of tea, temperature of water, to extract the very best flavor and taste from the tea. If the tea is of good quality and you have the patience to brew and rebrew trying different combinations, in the end, you should be rewarded with a great tasting cup of Darjeeling tea. In my opinion, the very best of Spring Darjeeling teas will offer a complex set of delicate flavors which cannot be found in Summer or Autumn flushes.
Happy steeping!
I agree. I am a FF drinker. I now and then enjoy a
SF, but FF is what I love best. They are tricky though, it’s all about experimenting with temp and amount, but in the end, it’s so very worth it!
We have 2 new Darjeeling teas available. The first is Thurbo Moonlight First Flush, a signature spring harvest from Darjeeling with notes of Honey and Apple.
The second is the Uper Fagu Oolong Darjeeling. It is considered to be one of the finest oolong from this region.
Give it a shot and tell us what you think.
Cheers.
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