From Delicate to Bold: A Tale of Two Darjeeling Teas
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A small town cradled in the laps of the Eastern Himalayas, Darjeeling is known for many things - the warm hospitality of its people, the sweeping views of Mount Kanchenjunga, but most importantly, its fabled and rich tea industry.
Tea is as synonymous with Darjeeling as the mountains are with the sky. Since its conception in 1847, Darjeeling tea has evolved over the centuries, and in the process, the region has gained fame as a producer of fine single-estate black teas. Home to the oldest tea factory units in the world, Darjeeling today has 87 official tea estates dotted across its valleys.
These estates are inhabited by planters and pluckers who live in neat houses usually adorned with beautiful blossoms. They are the heartbeat of the Darjeeling tea industry. Living in unison with nature, they maintain the socio - ecological harmony required to consistently produce high-quality tea sustainably. Their craft is polished through generations of experience, while their artistry is reflected in the dancing leaves that infuse your cup with a golden hue.
What makes Darjeeling tea so special?
The rich and bountiful valleys of this region are home to some of the finest tea in the world. It is renowned for its mild floral and muscatel notes, a delicate golden hue, and very low astringency. Four major factors set Darjeeling tea apart:
1) Nutrient-dense soil: The mountain soils of Darjeeling are strongly to moderately acidic, which gives the perfect base for tea plants to flourish. In addition, it is high in organic carbon and potassium, and has extremely well-drained terrain due to its hilly slopes, which prevent waterlogging.
2) Tea Bushes: While tea is woven into the basic fabric of Indian life, most of the tea served across the country comes from the indigenous Assamica variety, famed for its robust, malty CTC. However, Darjeeling tea is synonymous with the Camellia sinesis commonly known as the Chinese bushes that thrive in the cooler climate and is famed for its delicate, floral characteristics.
3) Industry expertise: The first tea factories and tea processing units of the world were established in Darjeeling in the mid 1800's. The art of tea production - fine plucking, processing, and finishing has been carried across generations and refined over time.
4) Cool climate: The high-altitude estates of Darjeeling experience distinct seasonal cycles throughout the year. These cycles sync and overlap in unison with the growth cycles of the tea bush. Giving each flush its own distinct taste and flavor profiles.
What is a Flush?
It's a common misconception that the flush is just a season when tea is harvested. While not entirely incorrect, it just scratches the surface of a much deeper issue. Tea plants have many cycles of growth and dormancy. The chemistry of the leaves changes significantly across the seasons, driving the distinct flavor profiles of each flush.
Darjeeling tea has three major flushes: the 1st flush, which traditionally falls between February and March, and the 2nd flush, which lasts from May to June. The last flush of the year, which is often referred to as the Autumn flush, occurs between October and November.
In between the 3 major flushes, there are two minor ones: The Summer flush, which is harvested in the brief window between late April and May. The monsoon flush, which coincides with the monsoon season in Darjeeling.
Having said that, one must remember that these flush cycles are heavily reliant on the weather patterns and are not fixed over a specific period of time. For example, low rainfall disrupts the flush onset by weeks, shortening the harvest window. Whereas excess rainfall increases the duration of the monsoon flush by a few weeks.
You should also know that no two flushes across two different years will be identical. Even with the same plant, season, and processing, there are subtle and sometimes even dramatic changes in flavor, aroma, and appearance. This is due to multiple factors such as changes in weather and soil composition.
This natural year-to-year variation is also what makes single-estate Darjeeling teas so prized by connoisseurs. Each year produces a distinct "Vintage" reflecting that particular growing season.
The tale of two flushes:
Of the five aforementioned flushes, the most famed and sought-after Darjeeling flushes that gave it the name "Champagne of teas" are :
First Flush:
Harvested from February to mid-April, the first flush produces tender bud-heavy leaves. These leaves have a greenish appearance and can be long or short depending on the quality. Upon smelling it entices you with a fresh floral aroma.
Upon steeping, First Flush Darjeeling tea brews into a delicate yellow and sometimes amber hue. It has a light flowery profile reminiscent of orchids, spring flowers, and green grapes, with a crisp finish, depending upon the season's specific terroir.
The length of the leaves also makes nuanced differences in your tea - the longer, leggy leaves tend to have a lighter liquor, a more floral taste, and a cleaner finish in comparison to the shorter leaves.
Since this is the first harvest after the winter dormancy, all the nutrients stored within the plant flood the young buds during spring. As a result, the first flush is rich in antioxidants and stimulants such as L-theanine that provide its signature natural sweet characteristic.
Moreover, the young tender leaves have lower levels of tannin and caffeine than fully mature summer leaves. This prevents the tea from becoming overly dark and gives you a pale golden liquor.
First Flush Darjeeling tea from estates such as Okayti, Makaibari, and Glenburn is very rare, and its yield is smaller compared to other harvests owing to its narrow window of harvest. That, combined with its delicate, distinct flavor profile, makes it highly prized by tea connoisseurs around the world. It commands premium prices in the global market and is a staple in the catalogs of all major tea houses around the world.
Second Flush:
Unlike the delicate buds of first flush leaves, the fully mature leaves of Darjeeling Second Flush are harvested in the early summer between May and June.
During the early summer, the tea bushes attract a host of jassids (green leaf hoppers) that nibble in its leaves. In response, these bushes naturally release a chemical that adds to the signature muscatel flavor of Darjeeling Second Flush.
Moreover, since the leaves are more mature, the L - theanine (an amino acid) concentration is also much lower compared to the first flush, creating a bolder and more traditional tea with a higher level of caffeine.
The leaves have a dark copperish brown appearance and feel more brittle to touch, in comparison to the first flush. It has a sweet fruity aroma similar to that of muscat grapes and dried fruits.
When it comes to taste, it gravitates more towards a rich, fruity, and muscatel flavor (a rich grape-like note). Darjeeling Second Flush has a layered flavor often revealing hidden notes of roasted nuts, honey, warm spices, and mild caramel, depending upon the terroir. It offers a fuller and more complex cup than the first flush.
Upon steeping, these leaves produce a fuller amber brew with a smooth body renowned worldwide for its distinct muscatel flavor. Second flush Darjeeling teas from estates such as Okayti and Rishihaat are often considered to be the pinnacle of Darjeeling Tea.
DID YOU KNOW?
Within these flushes, you can further find different varieties of teas. Diverse processing techniques and selective leaf plucking allow producers to craft entirely different teas from the same flush and bush.
1st Flush variations:
The tender tea bushes of spring are well known for their floral aroma and taste. By leveraging the expertise of the tea pluckers and utilising different techniques of production, the following varieties of the floral first flush are produced:
·Orthodox tea: Okayti First Flush Moonshine
Made from tender spring buds and young top leaves (two leaves and a bud). It is lightly withered, gently rolled, mildly fermented, and fired. Upon steeping, it gives a delicate yellow or amber liquor with a fresh floral profile and a crisp finish.
·Oolong:
Crafted from mature yet tender spring leaves with high juice content. It is sun-withered, mildly fermented, and tightly rolled before drying. It produces a glowing golden liquor with a more delicate floral and fresh profile than black tea.
·Green tea:
Young spring leaves plucked early in the morning, withered and steamed before being gently rolled and dried. It's rich in antioxidants and gives a light green liquor with a vegetal, sweet grassy aroma and low astringency.
·White tea: Moonlight tea
One of the rarest first flushes, white tea is made exclusively of fine silver needles (unopened buds). It is minimally processed and sun-dried. Upon steeping, it gives a pale silvery liquor. It has a delicate natural sweetness with subtle notes of fresh blossoms and wild nectar.
2nd Flush Variations:
You can also enjoy the muscatel of second flush in its different variations; each of these teas has its own distinct flavor that showcases the season in a different light.
·Orthodox tea:
Made from mature, sun-ripened summer leaves and buds. It is heavily withered, thoroughly rolled, highly fermented, and fired. Upon steeping, it produces a rich amber liquor with a signature muscatel character.
·Oolong:
The Mature summer leaves, packed with terpenes (aromatic organic compounds), are sun-withered, mildly fermented, and tightly rolled before drying. This results in a tea that steeps into a deep golden or amber liquor that blends the floral freshness of oolong with the muscatel of 2nd flush.
·Green tea:
Made from mature summer leaves, withered but never fermented, then steamed before being gently rolled and dried. It brews a deep yellow-green liquor with a bold, slightly nutty vegetal flavor and a bit more astringency than spring green.
·White tea: Silver Moon
Crafted with the plum summer buds and surrounding delicate leaves, minimally processed and sun-dried. Upon steeping, it gives a pale golden liquor with a richer, fruitier body than the first flush white tea
Conclusion:
While the Darjeeling first flush is a delicate symphony of floral and naturally sweet notes, the second flush delivers a bolder and more full-bodied muscatel flavor.
Each has its own distinct characteristics, and their variations also carry those same qualities. It's the fine-tuned processing that highlights the artisan's skill by bringing out subtle variations of the base flavor.
All these teas add to the fame of Darjeeling tea, and it's impossible to tell which is better. Taste is subjective and differs from palate to palate. What I find delightful might not entice you the same way. So, rather than comparing which is better, it's wiser to celebrate each's distinct characteristics.
Both these flushes are a gift from nature and should be experienced and celebrated as such. For those who listen, it's a story unraveling in your cup, revealing its terroir through its hidden notes and flavors.