Since the weather is warming up this week, I’m moving back to some lighter teas. I prepared this first flush Darjeeling 1g:100mL with 85C water, steeped western. When I came back to the glass 5 minutes later to strain, confusion set it in because the aroma instantly reminded me of something I love: canned French style green beans. The taste is much the same, green beans mixed with squash blossom and dry grass, an undertone of yellow peony, a light note of Indian green chillies, and impressions of cream, almond and autumn leaf.
As soon as the sip, the liquor is luxuriously smooth and silky, glassy, clean. I really can’t get over the mouthfeel of this tea! It makes me think that a lot of the Dammann Frères advent black teas I tried this season might have had a Darjeeling base. The tea disappears like silk on the swallow, leaving the mouth comfortably slick and with a gentle salty-mineral mouthwatering finish. So good! I’ll have to try it with the higher temp water of Leafhopper’s note next time, which will most likely be later today!
I can see the similarities between this tea and another first flush Darjeeling I finished last month but this is so much more light and playful, gentle. It feels nourishing. A tea I could see myself craving in the hot days of October preceding our very short autumn. Thank you, Leafhopper :)
Flavors: Almond, Autumn Leaf Pile, Broth, Cream, Dandelion, Dry Grass, Flowers, Green Beans, Honey, Lemon, Mineral, Parsley, Pepper, Salt, Smooth, Squash Blossom, Vegetal
Oh man, I love fresh raw green beans but absolutely can’t stand those canned green beans. :D