Review of our Second Flush 2011 Darjeeling Tea on a tea lover’s blog. This Second Flush 2011 Darjeeling Tea from Singbulli Tea Estate is a classic clonal tea which is sweet, slightly chocolaty, fruity and nutty in characteristics. You can take a view of one of tea lover’s views on this at http://outopos.egloos.com/5565575
Photo copyright: owner of the blog author at http://outopos.egloos.com/
Ah haven’t been able to update my blog for long. I recently wrote a description for the Goomtee Yellow Tea for Thunderbolt Tea sale page, thought I would share it here too. At least gets my blog rolling! 
Without the tea maker, the tea really ceases to exist and thanks to Mr. Sagar Rawat, Manager Goomtee Tea Estate for this unique Darjeeling Yellow Tea. I was quite surprised at its attributes because it resembled black with the nutty character, green and white tea with its vegetal notes and oolong with its faint meaty character.
This particular grade of tea can be called one of the first Darjeeling Tea experimented at Goomtee Tea Estate by the Manager, Mr. Sagar Rawat. Its similar to green tea, but most Darjeeling green teas are average quality except for a few grades such as Arya Emerald. Most of Darjeeling green teas part a light vegetal note with accompanying light Darjeeling characteristics, but this as being a yellow tea imparts a total different character. The processing of yellow tea is similar to that of greens, but supposed to have a slower drying period. This yellow tea has come out to be quite different because of the Darjeeling characteristics present. If nurtured and processed well, this can have a new market of its own with a different fan base.
This batch was specially ordered by one of our wholesale customers, but Goomtee sent us some extra sack. Just a sack is remaining with us and thought why not we put it up and let others try as well.
Dry Tea leaves:
It seems to be a beautiful combination of yellow, black and green leaves, with an overall blackish-yellow appearance. The darker blackish leaves tend to have some yellow spots as if tending to peal off the dark façade and reveal the yellow inside. Quite a unique appearance. The leaves are curly, but not resembling that of bps grade which are much shorter in length. To be precise, it has got well rolled and twisted slender leaves which tend to curl. The first aroma gives an intriguing feel of roasted peanuts which is quite rare in a Darjeeling green. Recommended: Smell as soon as you open the pack. It has got considerable amount of tips and if observed closely, the black leaves tend to appear shiny due to the presence of minute silver hairs. Apart from the first roasted peanuts characteristics, it also imparts a slight fruity aroma, which also appears to have a very mild meaty character reminiscent of an oolong tea.
Wet Tea leaves:
It has a mild sweet, honey toned nose. The leaves tend more towards the yellow-greenish color leaving the black hidden. The curly leaves tend to expand and reveal its true size. Apart from the slight sweetness, it tends to be more nutty similar to almonds; fruity and the roasted peanuts character can be found here as well. It also has that slight vegetal notes common in Darjeeling green and white teas. Mild meaty character also present, but not prominent.
Cup or Tea Liqor:
It imparts a pale yellow colored liqor which has a weak body. The cup gets bitter if steeped for more than 3 minutes, so 2.5-3 minutes steeping recommended. It is slightly astringent leaving the middle of the tongue dry. It tastes like a green Darjeeling slightly vegetal, sweet, but also nutty as the black Darjeeling teas.
I rarely do reviews of teas because the very thought about not reviewing is – I want tea lovers to review it. I want to be an audience which entitles me to pick up my flaws and improve further. Well hope you like this one. Can be found on Thunderbolt Tea’s site as well! But on second thought, I will try reviewing some from now onwards, any tea, from anywhere!
First Flush Darjeeling Tea 2010
Now this is end of February and I am eagerly waiting for some of Darjeeling First Flush Teas from 2010. Very little rain till now and hope it improves. The silver lining for rain is there because its been quite cloudy for a couple of days. Just that the clouds are not being able to accumulate the amount of droplets needed
Regarding the Yellow tea above, a tea friend of mine, Max, has reviewed it as well, but is in Swedish language. You can check his review here
Hello Friends its been long since I have personally written anything about our own teas on my blog. Usually, I do the tea tasting and the scribbling part is done by another who elaborates it – from now on I have decided that I will personally ‘ink’ the individual tea profiles both for this tea blog as well as for our sales page.
Good Second Flush 2009 Darjeeling tea is a hard find this year and I am trying my best to source the best. Production is low and the quality of tea came late. We started receiving Second Flush tea season samples from various Darjeeling tea gardens, but until mid of first week of June i.e. last week, all teas proved a big dissatisfaction. It had some body and proved to be in between First Flush and Second Flush with a characteristics mixture of both First and Second Flush, a total waste. Even Arya’s first sample they sent us was the same, but gradually seems to have improved with the providence of much needed sunlight, mist/fog, correct humidity and rain. Now its getting to its peak slowly. One of such teas manufactured and procured after mid of first week of June is “Arya SFTGFOP1”. Now this is what I call a heavenly brew.
COMMENTS ON THIS SECOND FLUSH 2009 DARJEELING TEA
Dry Tea leaves: Elongated dry tea leaves having ‘chocolate – brown’ overall appearance with considerable amount of golden tips (also known as buds and teas with lots of such tips are sometimes referred to as “tippy”) signifying ‘high quality’ Second Flush Darjeeling Tea. As soon as the pack got opened, we got an overwhelming sweet fragrance with an undertone reminiscent of the fruit plum which is also ‘musky’ (muscatel). It is a complex flowery tea with complex hints of ‘caramel like’, honey, burnt sugar, slightly nutty, buttery etc. characteristics. The tea leaves seem well rolled with correct crushes and bursts of cells bringing out the required juices much needed for tea. As a result the leaves appear well twisted with golden buds having downy hairs, giving it a curled façade which also appears to have a rich luster and a proper Second Flush bloom.
Wet (Infused) Tea leaves: Total coppery infused leaves showing the real characteristics of a pure Second Flush Darjeeling tea. The golden buds now appear to be pale yellow (dark) in color. It has a sweet aroma which is also malty or chocolaty and slightly minty cool. It has a complex blend of slightly fruity and flowery characteristics.
Cup or Tea Liquor: Again the cup bears the mark of a pure Second Flush tea with its coppery color going more towards the ‘dark red’ mark. Full bodied and smooth with negligible amount of bitterness, hardly noticeable – bitterness increases with longer steeping time. The cup is ‘brisk’ having lively characteristics which is the result of tender plucking and good calculated manufacture. It has a rich aroma which is a complex mixture of being chocolaty or malty, sugary or honey toned, fruity and nutty, buttery, musky etc. Has a rich flavor which is a result of slow growth at higher altitudes. Each sip tends to leave your mouth dry especially affecting your tongue the most and inner cheeks slightly. Has a sweet lingering after taste.
Sidenote: I did two brewings of the same tea at the same time. One I used it for tasting purpose and the other prepared it and didn’t touch it. The left alone cup even after getting totally cooled, had a long lasting aroma which is very sweet and musky. Amazing cup.
Many have asked about my tea preference relating to different tea seasons – My favorite would be Second Flush because this is what Darjeeling is famous for – ‘the musky or muscatel character’. The musky-chocolaty aroma and taste is what I always yearn for. Though First Flush teas cannot be neglected, my favorite season would be Second Flush. This is my favorite but this again cannot be everybody’s favorite as the polity of individual palate comes into play. The worst tea can prove the best and the best can be reviewed into worse – ones own palate is the sole judge here.
Well I am tasting more of Second Flush 2009 Darjeeling Teas at the moment – looking for high end as well as some value for money teas, but in good quality. Some good teas are underrated due to the underrated name of that particular tea garden and its possible to find a gem hidden, yearning to be embraced and appreciated. Such was the case with First Flush 2009 Giddapahar tea. Will have to consider our clients who wouldn’t want to spend more, but simultaneously get a good second flush.
Until then, Happy Tea Sipping!
Oh lastly, I was about to throw away the infused leaves and my mother exclaimed – “Don’t throw that away, you are wasting it, I need it for my plants growth!”. For years she has been using these infused leaves to add extra ingredients to her plant soil – really don’t know the scientific reason for it, but guess, I can hear from you all right under this post. All I know is that this trend is been handed over from one generation to another and especially the women folk has been practising this and surprisingly, the plants bloom into gorgeous flowers. I like tea drinking and tasting, not much of a man who has gone deep into the acts of infused leaves
This Arya SFTGFOP1 Second Flush organic tea has been updated to our sales page and if you are interested – get it here!. This is a limited edition tea Don’t ask me when its gone, as is always the case with good teas!! Just don’t be left out or deprived of the creams of Darjeeling!
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