Darjeeling 1st Flush Clonal Thurbo DJ-41

I received this tea as a free sample with my last Camellia Sinensis order. It’s slightly pricier than the Namring Darjeeling and Temi Sikkim teas that were part of the Indian sampler pack, and the fluffy, bud-heavy leaves seem to be of high quality. I steeped two teaspoons of leaf in a 355 ml mug at 195F for 3:30 and 5:00 minutes.

While the Namring was very herbaceous, this tea has more of the muscatel and peach notes typical of a second flush Darjeeling, with fainter notes of florals, herbs, spices, and grass. (I have no idea what amber tastes like, so I can’t say whether that part of the website’s description is accurate.) The second steep is sweeter, more floral, and ever so slightly astringent. There’s a lovely herbaceous and muscatel aroma left in my Finum infuser, but I know by now that the third cup of Darjeeling is always disappointing.

This tea has a great balance of fruity, floral, and herbaceous notes. My only complaint is that even with two heaping teaspoons, it’s very subtle and the flavours never really pop. Next time, I might try it with more leaf.