Country of Origin: India
Leaf Appearance: small, varied shades of green
Ingredients: black tea
Steep time: 3 minutes
Water Temperature: 180 degrees
Preparation Method: bone china teacup and mesh infuser
Liquor: gold
The 1st Flush odyssey continues with a SFTGFOP1 from Sungma Estate. This garden has some of the highest elevations in Darjeeling. The leaves were a bit darker and more wiry than the selection from Puttabong estate that I reviewed yesterday. Oddly enough the taste was actually a bit lighter. There were notes of honey and fruit with a lingering sweetness. It was somewhat reminiscent of citrus but not exactly. The finish was bright and clean without being astringent or overly tart. This type of Darjeeling is closer to a green tea so I would say that milk is a no-no. Sweeteners might be ok but please give the tea a try on its own first. Once again, I am so glad that +Happy Earth Tea was able to source so many teas that are organic, Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance certified.
Sungma 1st Flush Darjeeling sample provided by Happy Earth Tea.