Skip to content
  • Blog
    • Learn
    • Sip
    • Connect
    • Travel
  • Beginner’s Guide to Tea
  • Matcha
  • Puerh
  • Tea in NYC
  • Book
  • About Me
  • Blog
    • Learn
    • Sip
    • Connect
    • Travel
  • Beginner’s Guide to Tea
  • Matcha
  • custom-logo
  • Puerh
  • Tea in NYC
  • Book
  • About Me
Darjeeling: 1st Flush vs. 2nd Flush
Learn

Darjeeling: 1st Flush vs. 2nd Flush

July 19, 2021October 6, 2021 Post a comment

Darjeeling is a tea region located in West Bengal, India. Many different kinds of tea are made there, but it is best known for its black teas. These are usually labeled according to the time of year they are made, and the most common ones you will see for sale are 1st flush and 2nd flush. Although they are both black tea, the taste and appearance can be very different. In this post, I’ll be giving a brief overview of the reasons why that is.

Season

As the name implies, 1st Flush Darjeeling is the first tea harvest of the year. The time can vary slightly depending on the weather, but it typically occurs from March to April. The weather is cooler during the early spring, so the tea plants do not grow quickly, giving a smaller yield. 1st flush is often a bit more expensive for this reason. Each year, there is a bit of a race between the estates to be the first to get their 1st flush teas to market.

2nd Flush Darjeeling is harvested between June and July. In the early summer, the weather is warmer, so the tea plants are growing more quickly, giving a higher yield. In recent years it was discovered that jassids and thrips are snacking on tea leaves during this time. Like Dong Fang Mei Ren, this causes chemical changes in the leaves that affect how the finished tea will taste.

Darjeeling - 1st Flush vs. 2nd Flush

Processing

Based on appearance alone, you might think that 1st flush was a green tea or oolong. This is because the leaves receive what is called a hard wither. The process is expedited by warm air, which causes the leaves to lose moisture very quickly. This slows oxidation, giving the finished tea a greener appearance.

2nd flush Darjeeling does not receive as hard of a wither, so the leaves achieve a higher oxidation level. This can be seen in the leaves as well as the infused tea. The rolling step is more intense since the fresh leaves are not as delicate. Firing at the end also is done at a higher temperature and for a longer period of time.

Some people argue that 1st flush teas should be classified as oolongs. I am not one of those people. Oolong requires purposely bruising the leaves, and there are usually multiple rolling steps. There is also a fixing step to halt oxidation before the final drying step.

Darjeeling - 1st Flush vs. 2nd Flush

Taste

1st flush Darjeelings brew up a bright golden liquor. The taste is light and aromatic with mild astringency. They tend to be fruitier with crisp notes of peaches and fresh grapes. 2nd flush Darjeeling brews up a much darker reddish amber liquor. The taste is bolder with a musky spiciness and higher astringency. They are also known for having notes of muscatel. This comes from the higher level of terpenes caused by the jassid and thrip bites. Both teas are usually drunk without milk or sugar as they are still fairly light-bodied compared to other Indian black teas, like Assam.

Darjeeling - 1st Flush vs. 2nd Flush

Many years ago 1st flush Darjeeling was actually processed more like a 2nd flush. It was largely exported to the Soviet Union. When the USSR collapsed, the tea estates were faced with needing to find a new market. They worked with German buyers to develop a lighter and brighter tea that would appeal to their customer’s palates. The new way of processing has now become standard.

I hope this post has helped you understand the differences between 1st flush and 2nd flush Darjeeling. Which one do you prefer? It depends on my mood, but I tend to drink 2nd flush more often.

The teas that I photographed for this post are the 1st flush from Rohini Estate (Masters Tea) and the 2nd Flush from Singbulli Estate (Harney & Sons).

Pin It for Later!

Help Support This Site

Get access to exclusive behind-the-scenes content, my private Discord server, surprise quarterly packages, and more!

Join My Patreon Community
Black TeaGuideTea

About Nicole Wilson

Nicole Wilson is a tea writer and educator who has been sharing her love of the leaf online for more than a decade. Her website, TeaforMePlease.com, is the longest continuously running tea blog written by a female author. In 2018, she won the World Tea Award for Best Tea Blog. Every week you can expect to see reviews of specialty teas and related products, informative articles, reports on important events, and more.

Related Posts

20 of the Best Quotes About Tea
20 of the Best Quotes About Tea
All About the Tea Importation Act of 1897
All About the Tea Importation Act of 1897
4 Reasons Why Your Green Tea Tastes Bad and How to Fix It
4 Reasons Why Your Green Tea Tastes Bad and How to Fix It
7 of the Best Non-Fiction Books for Tea Lovers
7 of the Best Non-Fiction Books for Tea Lovers

Post navigation

What Kind of Tea was Thrown Overboard at the Boston Tea Party?
Grow Your Own Tea by Christine Parks and Susan M. Walcott

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hey, there!

Hey, there!

Nicole Wilson. Tea Writer and Educator
Do you love to drink tea, but wish you knew more about it? I'm here to help! The world of specialty tea is massive so it can be a lot to take in. On this blog, you'll find over 1,000 articles and tea reviews to start your journey. I'm always happy to answer any questions you might have!

Help Support This Site

patreon

Get access to exclusive behind-the-scenes content, my private Discord server, surprise quarterly packages, and more!

My New Book!

My New Book!

Subscribe!

Subscribe to my weekly newsletter for the latest blog posts, tea news, and more!

Categories

  • Connect
  • Learn
  • Sip
  • Sponsored
  • Testimonials
  • Travel

Archives

Instagram

Amazon Rec’s

Amazon Recommendations
  • Blog
    • Learn
    • Sip
    • Connect
    • Travel
  • Beginner’s Guide to Tea
  • Matcha
  • Puerh
  • Tea in NYC
  • Book
  • About Me
Copyright © 2023 | All Rights Reserved | Designed by Little Theme Shop