First Flush Darjeeling 2014

Tea type
Black Tea
Ingredients
Black Tea
Flavors
Herbaceous, Iodine, Rose, Straw
Sold in
Loose Leaf
Caffeine
Medium
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Andrea Stephens
Average preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 2 min, 30 sec 8 oz / 250 ml

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From T2

Just outside the small town of Takdah in Darjeeling, facing snow peaks of the Himalayan Mountains lies a tea garden named after the river flowing through it, Gielle.

Known as ‘the land of sweet water’ by locals, this season’s pickings from the Gielle estate have produced a delicate and fragrant, emerald green leaf. A fresh and floral tea to taste with hints of vanilla and sweet pea, followed by a lasting yet mellow citrus aftertaste.

It’s like walking through dewy grass and fresh flowers on a perfect spring morning.

Brew:
1 tsp per 250ml, brew 1-3 mins at 80ºC.

Serve: Black Tea

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1 Tasting Note

80
28 tasting notes

Every now and then a tea comes along that really surprises you. This was mine!

A really unique nose (albeit coming from someone who doesn’t drink much Darjeeling). Delicate but interesting, this tea has the aromatic character of a black tea veiled by the subtle freshness of a light green tea. Not dissimilar to a delicate Pai Mu Tan in some respects. Interesting, though the more I pick up on the nose of this tea the more I long for a little bit more punch – a longing that is quickly delivered on by a sniff of the fresh wet leaves, which smack of deep aromatic flavour and bring to mind a savoury character I can’t quite put my finger on… is it Oragano? Dried chives? Roast chicken?

A real freshness on the palate, with just enough tannin and acidity to make it a lively brew, but without any bitter astringency. And that savoury note is ever present on the palate too, this time with a more distinctly iodine character reminiscent of dried seaweed. The distinctive sweet herbaceousness common to Darjeelings (well, to me anyway) is certainly there, but in a more delicate and restrained form that I’ve never experienced before. Above all this tea is subtle and beautifully balanced.

The second steep brings out a real sweetness with rose petals, light straw and a subtle green freshness.

All up a really interesting cup. As a green tea lover I haven’t met many Darjeerlings I’ve wanted to be friends with, but this has made me wonder what I’ve been missing!

Flavors: Herbaceous, Iodine, Rose, Straw

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 2 min, 30 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 250 ML

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