Origins & Travel

Darjeeling First Flush Harvest 2023

Date:

November 20, 2023

Author:

Rishi Tea

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Darjeeling is one of most celebrated tea origins in the world and is a paragon of terroir flavor expression, earning it the title the “Champagne of Tea”. The name of the region derives from Dori Ling, the very place where the Hindu deity Indra’s thunderbolt struck the ground. History is deep here, however tea, a drink consumed by humans for thousands of years, did not arrive until the 19th century. Its journey is steeped in romance and intrigue and inextricably linked to British imperialism and the desire to satiate Western demand. The story has many twists and turns, involves espionage and blunders. What remains is a relentless Scot named Robert Fortune introducing a plant from China that did remarkably well in the foothills of the Himalayas.

The terraced slopes of Darjeeling span an elevation from 600 to 2,000 meters above sea level exposing the plant to an incredible array of microclimates leading to nuanced and diverse flavor profiles. In fact, the same China bush variety planted on two different estates will show totally different characters. The first flush is typically light and bright, highly aromatic and similar to green tea. The second will be ripe and fruity with a more coppery and reddish character similar to oolong and unlike any other black tea. These incredible nuances of the region have led to Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, meaning only tea grown in this region can be sold as Darjeeling tea.

Tumsong Estate

The Tumsong estate was planted in 1867 at the historic site of the Tamsa Devi Temple on slopes of the Golden Valley that face the highest Himalayan ranges and are met with constant cold winds. The microclimates that exist in this expansive mountainous range cause the tea to grow gradually. The steady and slow leaf development during the spring flush in Darjeeling concentrates and accentuates remarkable multi-floral and fruity aromas. The Tumsong Estate is planted with 100% vintage China bush and is one of the top gardens in all of Darjeeling. The concept to note in this garden are the numerous microclimate ranges—a great illustration of terroir. Different grades of slopes and fluctuating levels of sun exposure in each garden’s divisions allow for every plantation to vary from one another, even though they are in close proximity. The eagerly anticipated First Flush harvest in March-April produces teas with vivacious energy and flavors that captures the essence of spring and this amazing tea region.

Chamong Estate

The Chamong gardens are located in the south of Darjeeling in the Rongbong Valley next to Selimbong and were planted in the 1870s. The gardens here boast incredible biodiversity and are set into the side of a hill with altitude ranging from 1150-1850 meters above sea level. The area has towering, deciduous forests that are home to many monkey tribes. The character of the tea here is very unique and evokes flavors of stone fruits like peach and nectarine, as well as apple blossom and Muscat grape. The eagerly anticipated First Flush harvest in March-April produces teas with vivacious energy and flavors that captures the essence of spring and this amazing tea region.

Lingia Estate

The Lingia estate was planted in 1867 at the historic site of the Tamsa Devi Temple on the steep slopes of the Golden Valley that face the highest Himalayan ranges. The constant cool winds of the Himalayas in this expansive mountainous area cause the tea to grow gradually. The slow and steady leaf growth during the spring in Darjeeling concentrates and accentuates remarkable multi-floral and fruity aromas. The Lingia garden is planted with pure China Bushes of the Black China variety which are genetically close to the rose bush. The Lingia garden’s vintage tea bushes are well-known for yielding naturally occurring rose and heady multi-floral notes. This micro-lot is one of the best examples of Lingia character that we’ve seen in a long time. The eagerly anticipated first flush harvest in March-April produces teas with vivacious energy and flavors that captures the essence of spring and this amazing tea region.

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