First Flush Darjeeling Tea

First planted in 1852, the Puttabong Estate is notable as one of the first tea gardens in Darjeeling. With a sweet floral aroma reminiscent of a blooming spring meadow, this 2023 first flush selection invites you to take your first sip. Bold, dark-olive leaves, sprinkled with downy silver tips, produce a light amber-gold liquor that delights the palate with its fresh, buttery smoothness and classic, honeyed floral flavor. A smooth, clean finish completes a memorable tea experience.

Located near the border of Sikkim, the North Tukvar Estate has been producing superior teas since it was first planted in 1884. This outstanding 2023 first flush offering was plucked on March 11th at an elevation of 2,000 feet. An abundance of downy silver tips decorates bold leaves of variegated olive greens, which produce a rich golden amber cup with a sweet floral/fruity aroma. A smooth, round mouth feel supports a flavor profile bursting with notes of tropical fruit and melon. The finish lingers with a palate-awakening crispness reminiscent of biting into a red apple.

In this 2023 first flush Darjeeling offering, flecks of spring green brighten bold, dark-olive leaves, redolent with a fresh herbaceous aroma. With its pronounced sweet floral fragrance and flavor, the golden amber cup invites that first sip. A buttery smooth mouth feel leads to a clean finish that lingers with a honey sweetness. A superb selection that creates a memorable tea moment.

The bold, meticulously crafted leaves of this 2023 first flush Darjeeling yield a lively cup with a rich, silky mouth feel. The candied floral aroma whispers of orange blossoms and a light herbaceous nuance. With notes of tropical fruit and flowers, the flavor profile epitomizes “springtime in a cup.” This exceptional offering finishes on a crisp citrus-like note, balanced with a lingering sweetness. A staff favorite.

Harvested at the peak of the first flush season at Singtom Estate, this broken-leaf Darjeeling offering is redolent with the aroma of fresh flowers. The golden amber cup introduces a gentle astringency that plays at the edges of the palate, creating a wonderful counterpoint to the intensely sweet dried fruit hints in the vibrant flavor. A bright refreshing quality lingers in the finish.

This first flush Darjeeling blend features bold attractive leaves, in shades of olive-green, which produce a bright, smooth cup with a rich mouth feel. Notes of tropical fruit and honeysuckle bloom in the amber gold liquor, leading to a refreshingly crisp finish that lingers on the palate. A great value for first flush Darjeeling aficionados!

A sweet fruity aroma, complemented by light floral hints, introduces this exceptional 2022 first flush Darjeeling tea. The shimmering amber-gold liquor of this loose leaf Darjeeling black tea is buttery smooth with a heady tropical quality that brings to mind a juicy pineapple. The polished finish lingers with a hint of honey and crisp white wine undertone. Savor this tea hot or iced.

With a rich, floral flavor and pronounced buttery mouth feel, this first flush offering, from Margaret’s Hope Estate, offers outstanding cup quality. The amber-gold liquor is fragrant with fresh corn silk notes warmed by a gentle hint of toastiness. A honey sweetness leads to a clean finish that lingers with a classic “crisp Darjeeling bite.”

An inviting floral fragrance introduces this first flush selection from the Arya Estate, which has been producing premium Darjeeling teas for over 100 years. The amber gold cup is lively and bursting with mouth-filling complexity. Notes of sweet flowers, buttery corn silk, juicy tropical fruit and creamy almond create a rich harmony of well-balanced flavor that lingers long into the crisp finish.

This first flush offering is noteworthy for its eminently smooth character and pronounced honey sweetness. The light amber-gold cup is fragrant with an inviting aroma hinting of stone fruit and flowers. Tropical fruit hints and a gentle whisper of toastiness lead to a crisp, refreshing finish.

First planted at the turn of the 20th century, the south-facing tea slopes of the Jungpana Estate are located in a remote area near Kurseong, where the average elevation is 4,000 feet. This first flush offering displays dark olive leaves that are laced with a fine complement of downy silver tips. A sweet tropical fruit aroma sets the stage for the buttery smooth, amber gold cup. Rich notes of honey and spring flowers are complemented by a refreshing astringency that settles around the edges of the palate. A honey sweetness tempers the crisp, lingering finish.

With elevations ranging over 6,000 feet, the Thurbo Estate has been producing premium Darjeeling teas for over a century. In this first flush offering, silver tips decorate attractive leaves in a colorful display of olive greens. A rich toasty aroma introduces an amber-gold cup with an assertive character that enhances its full, lively mouth feel. Fresh floral/herbaceous notes and a honey sweetness are complemented by notes of stone fruit, which lend a gentle crispness to the lingering finish.