Country of Origin: India
Leaf Appearance: small, green and somewhat curly
Ingredients: black tea
Steep time: 5 minutes
Water Temperature: 212 degrees
Preparation Method: ceramic teapot and mesh infuser
Liquor: pale amber
First flush Darjeeling is something that has only recently started to grow on me due to some early bad experiences. Now I’ve got a major soft spot for it, especially the teas that come from Happy Earth Tea. This one hails from the Sungma Estate and I am so glad to hear that it is organic. The dry leaves were very green in appearance with lots of young buds. The grade of this tea is SFTGFOP1. It was floral, herbaceous and malty with strong notes of muscatel. There was also an underlying spiciness typical of Darjeeling. The finish had a lingering sweetness and just the right amount of astringency. Overall it was wonderfully complex and full-bodied. This would make an excellent iced tea if you were so inclined. It is definitely not a tea that you should add milk or sugar too. To find out more about Darjeeling, check out my article, Meet the Tea: Darjeeling.