Country of Origin: India
Leaf Appearance: mottled brown and green, some golden tips
Ingredients: black tea
Steep time: 3 minutes
Water Temperature: 212 degrees
Preparation Method: ceramic teacup and mesh infuser
Liquor: deep gold
This tea was somewhat fuller bodied than most of the 1st flushes that I’ve had from this year’s crop. The taste was floral with just a hint of malt and a pleasant muskiness. It had a brisk astringency that added a bright and refreshing finish. The aftertaste was sweet and lingered long after each sip. I re-infused the leaves a second time and it was just as good as the first cup. Milk and sugar shouldn’t be added to this tea at all. First flush teas act more like a green tea than a black tea (although they are closer to oolongs) so you would loose most of the flavor. According to +Happy Earth Tea‘s website, Puttabong is one of the largest and oldest tea estates in Darjeeling. I love that they provide information about which clonal varieties are grown at each estate. It makes my inner tea nerd happy. Sara over at Tea Happiness did a great interview with Niraj, owner of this great little company. He’s definitely one of the nicest tea people around and I love his passion for one of my favorite types of tea.
You can find out more about this tea here.