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drank Namring Estate 2nd Flush Darjeeling by Upton Tea Imports
1737 tasting notes

I brewed up another glass of this Namring Estate 2nd Flush Darjeeling from Upton by way of Steepster Select. I’ve been exploring the second flush darjeelings from Golden Tips and was wondering how this would measure up in comparison. I think that it’s not as good, but it’s true that I used only half of my envelope, so 2.2 grams (it contained 4.5 grams) for about 8 ounces of water. I kept the temperature cooler (82C rather than the Steepster Select recommendation of 100C—which is a big mistake, imnsho), and I brewed for about 3 minutes.

The resultant liquor was amber colored and pretty good but not great. I do not believe that darjeelings can be successfully re-steeped, but I tried last time (Steepster Select says on the envelope that it’s good for 3 re-steeps!). It tasted like dishwater, so I’m not bothering this time.

Does anyone in the universe, aside from Steepster Select, recommend that darjeeling be re-steeped? I’ve never read it anywhere. It seems like a ploy to make the program seem to cost less than it does. You do not, my tea-infused friends, get four 12 ounces cups of tea from this envelope. No, you do not.
Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 g 8 OZ / 236 ML
6 comments
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Excelsior
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The first steep of a Spring Darjeelings is infinitely better, but at work I often resteep for a second mug of tea.
Water Temperature 100C
Steep for 20 to 25 minutes
It lacks the full flavor of the first steep but still retains the characteristic tastes of a Darjeeling tea. Since I have not tasted dishwater, I cannot compare.

Happy Steeping!

Kat_Maria
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100C for a darjeeling??? Never! :O

Excelsior
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Trying to get flavor out of a second steep requires severe parameters. 100C for a first steep? Never. 85-95C? Yes. 20-25 minute steep? Absolutely not! 3 or 4 minutes? Yes, for a first steep.

Try re-steeping at 85C for 3 minutes. Does it taste like dishwater? Probably.

sherapop
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Thanks, Excelsior, for this interesting testimony! Do you then zap your cup to make it hot again? It must be cold by the time you’ve finished steeping!

sherapop
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btw: no I have not imbibed dishwater, but I have smelled it, so let’s just say that the second infusion tasted how I gather dishwater tastes…

Excelsior
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Actually, my porcelain teapot retains the heat rather well and the tea is still hot even after 25 minutes. I gathered you were not in the habit of tasting dishwater.

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Comments

Excelsior
Delete

The first steep of a Spring Darjeelings is infinitely better, but at work I often resteep for a second mug of tea.
Water Temperature 100C
Steep for 20 to 25 minutes
It lacks the full flavor of the first steep but still retains the characteristic tastes of a Darjeeling tea. Since I have not tasted dishwater, I cannot compare.

Happy Steeping!

Kat_Maria
Delete

100C for a darjeeling??? Never! :O

Excelsior
Delete

Trying to get flavor out of a second steep requires severe parameters. 100C for a first steep? Never. 85-95C? Yes. 20-25 minute steep? Absolutely not! 3 or 4 minutes? Yes, for a first steep.

Try re-steeping at 85C for 3 minutes. Does it taste like dishwater? Probably.

sherapop
Delete

Thanks, Excelsior, for this interesting testimony! Do you then zap your cup to make it hot again? It must be cold by the time you’ve finished steeping!

sherapop
Delete

btw: no I have not imbibed dishwater, but I have smelled it, so let’s just say that the second infusion tasted how I gather dishwater tastes…

Excelsior
Delete

Actually, my porcelain teapot retains the heat rather well and the tea is still hot even after 25 minutes. I gathered you were not in the habit of tasting dishwater.

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Bio

I have fallen off the “tea log boat”, as I am now in New Zealand and was really flailing about for a while, having depleted all of my Chinese and Japanese green tea supply! Fortunately, my first order of 2015 has now arrived! I should begin writing very soon about tea at my new blog, sherapop’s tea leaves. Please stop by and contribute your ideas—all viewpoints are welcome!

A long-time tea and perfume lover, I have recently begun to explore the intersections between the two at my blog: http://salondeparfum-sherapop.blogspot.com//

The scent of tea can be just as appealing as—sometimes more than—its taste! Tea also offers boundless visual beauty in its various forms and states of preparation.

A few words about my ratings. In assessing both teas and perfumes, my evaluation is “all things considered.” Teas do not differ very much in price (relative to perfumes or any luxury items), so I do not usually consider the price when rating a tea.

What I do consider is how the particular tea compares to teas of its own type. So I might give a high rating to a fine herbal infusion even though I would never say that it is my favorite TEA. But if it’s good for what it is, then it deserves a high rating. There is no point in wishing that a chamomile blend was an Assam or a sencha tea!

Any rating below 50 means that I find the liquid less desirable to drink than plain water. I may or may not finish the cup, depending upon how thirsty I am and whether there is another hot beverage or (in summertime) a source of fresh water available.

From 50 to 60 indicates that, while potable, the tea is not one which I would buy or repurchase, if I already made the mistake (I have learned) of purchasing it.

From 60 to 70 means that the tea is drinkable but I have criticisms of some sort, and I probably would not purchase or repurchase the tea as I can think of obvious alternatives which would be better.

From 70 to 80 is a solid brew which I would purchase again.

From 80 to 90 is good stuff, and I probably need to have some ready at hand in my humble abode.

From 90 to 100 is a tea (or infusion) which I have come to depend on and look forward to imbibing again and again—if possible!

If you are interested in perfume, you might like my 2400+ perfume reviews, most of which have been archived at sherapop’s sillage (essentially my perfumelog):

http://sherapop.blogspot.com/

Finally, please note that after a great deal of debate with myself, I have decided to use the cupboard here at Steepster as a “museum” of sorts—to commemorate all of the various teas which I have purchased and truly enjoyed since December 2013.

I do not currently possess all of the teas listed in this cupboard, but am using the function as a way of recording how many times I drank every tea which I did own at some point and wish not to forget. Teas found both in my “cupboard” and on my “wishlist” are those which I did own and intend to restock. Teas best forgotten have been removed from the cupboard once depleted (in some cases tossed…).

I have also decided (beginning in 2015) to use the tasting note function to maintain a chronological record of the teas I’ve consumed since December 15, 2013. Most new reviews will now be posted directly at my blog, sherapop’s tea leaves.

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