Darjeeling The First Flush

Sipdown no. 5 of February 2019 (no. 23 of 2019 total, no. 511 grand total). A sample teabag.

I forgot to sniff the bag before I put it in the water. Good thing I have another one of these. Next time I’ll use lower water temp, too. I really wasn’t thinking this morning about this because I was too busy trying to conquer a pu erh cake so I could rinse some leaves and let them sit for a bit.

Anyway, this tea is golden yellow, clear, and has a pleasant, mild smell that I would have called sweet wood, but I guess is close enough to fruit. It’s a bit like sweet potatoes, heavy on the potato. Yeah, that’s it. It’s more potato than sweet potato, but I get both.

The flavor is also very mild, but it doesn’t give me the bloaty, waterlogged feeling I sometimes get from first flush darjeelings.

Nice to watch the British version of House of Cards by.

I finished Broadchurch, and what surprised me the most about the series was the tea bag references. I always thought Brits were too serious about their tea to bother with tea bags.

Another free sample. :D

I don’t have much experience with Darjeeling but I liked this tea overall. I don’t have much to compare it to though (as far as Darjeeling). The First Flush had a very bright but light yellow liquor with a green, grassy, floral fresh aroma. The first steep was so delicate, mellow, and floral (not perfumey). I went to Mimi’s cafe earlier and had a Quiche Lorraine, rich muffins and more, and I didn’t drink anything during the whole meal so when I got home, I was thirsty lol. This was really refreshing to me. I didn’t want any strong flavors after a sensory overload at Mimi’s lol. I think I picked the right sample to try after that meal. No strong flavors but very flavorful. I can’t pick out the taste at all, what flowers, is there any fruit? Not sure at all. The 2nd steep it became slightly bitter (similar to the level of grapefruit bitter) with crisp astringency… Still very flavorful. Brisk, astringent, refreshing with a nice mouthfeel. The 3rd steep, while flavorful but extremely light now, astringent, but not as bitter.

Now it makes me want to try more Darjeeling. It peaked my interest.

1 bag, 200ml, 200°F, 3 steeps, 2.5min., 3min, 3.5min

Understated, grapefruity, and a gentle bitterness when brewed quite light. Steeped three times. Smells better than it tastes, but the flavor is pleasant and refreshing when paired with spicy food. I don’t think I’d drink it on its own but I would reach for it again next time I make prawn masala.

Nope. Its way too green for me. Not at all what I was expecting.

I got this one in my Lupicia happy bag. It’s a decent Darjeeling, fruity a little astringent with the requisite first flush herbaceousness. It’s very light for my tastes—I’m more of a second flush fan in general, and this is no exception. I’m enjoying it will enough, but it won’t be a restock.

This tea helped me figure out that I like first flush Darjeeling teas: young, green, astringent, woody, and yummy. Delicious, solid, not outstanding. Good for a rainy day or a quiet moment when I have the time and attention to brew and enjoy this cup of tea.

Acquired Darjeeling The First Flush as part of Lupicia’s 2015 Book of Tea.

Lupicia suggests steeping the tea for 2 to 2.5 minutes. Because I enjoy a stronger flavor, I did a full 2.5 minutes.

To me the tea was the epitome of “aiight.” Not great but not bad, and certainly not memorable. It was on the lighter side for a darjeeling, slightly fruity, and ever-so-slightly astringent.