My first Darjeeling experience. The leaf is small, broken reddish pieces with some silvery steaks. Smells like white tea florals and musk. The tea steeps up a light amber with notes of wood bark, balm, cinnamon spice, and little bite in the finish that hits the back of your throat. I was struck by how similar in flavor this was to Oriental Beauty. Recommend steeping at lower temperatures, around 180 – 185 F to bring out the subtle flavors as too hot water just makes it taste like a ceylon.
I did a side-by-side taste comparison with a 2nd flush darjeeling. Both were good though I lean slightly towards the 2nd flush for its robust and fruitier flavor. However, the smooth and delicate flavors of this one make it a wonderful tea in its own right.
Flavors: Biting, Cinnamon, Muscatel, Wood
