Darjeeling 2nd Flush 2014 Rohini Clonal Special Tippy Black Tea

Malty and spicy on the first steep. The spice fades in later steeps but the pleasant maltiness is still there. I might taste a hint of some kind of fruity sweetness as well.

This Darjeeling tastes vaguely fruity without being specifically grape-y. I’m also getting a lot of wood flavor and a dryness after the sip. A strong sour flavor as I drain the cup makes me wonder if my Darjeeling ‘bolted’ (Bolted, defined by “The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook”: a phenomenon… wherein the brisk flavor components suddenly overwhelm the body characteristics and the cup qualities become unpleasantly assertive).

This one is going on the wishlist for later.

It is a light, sweet tea, but with moderate scents of malt. The scents are stronger than the malt taste but it’s still there. The most appealing thing about this to me though is the buttery texture. This would pair really nicely with almost any standard tea party fare, savory or sweet, I think. With a bit more care in the steeping I think the little overtones of dryness would be minimized. It’s a really smooth Darjeeling overall.

Thanks so much for passing this one along, KS

It is a sleepy kinda day today, chilly and rainy, a real ‘spring day’ to me. I think it might be because I spent half of my life in the northeast, but to me, spring means lots of rain showers and being able to go out in the world wearing fluffy sweaters and only one pair of pants, I might even dare going out in a skirt or not wearing a hat! It is honestly some of my favorite weather, perfect for hot tea, enjoying nature, and snuggling under a blanket. A good day for mushroom hunting or doing artsy things, whichever my mood prefers.

Today’s tea came to me from India, by way of England, because getting boxes from other countries makes me immensely happy. Darjeeling 2nd Flush 2014 Rohini Clonal Special Tippy Black Tea from What-Cha comes from the Rohini Tea Estate in Kurseong Valley, which is quite beautiful if you go look at pictures, very lush and green. This tea is not quite lush and green, but slightly fuzzy and rich brown, as a 2nd flush should be. Hehe, in my notebook I list the aroma first as ‘whoa!’ and then actually describe it! The tea starts with a touch of tobacco and malt, and then moves on to raisins and rich, sweet, molasses. I do enjoy the level of richness that these leaves have, and the tobacco note is unusual but quite pleasant.

Into the steeping apparatus the leaves have gone, for a happy steeping time. After they steep the now steaming and soggy leaves have a much sweeter aroma, with notes of molasses, malt, fruit (specifically raisins and dried flowers) and a finish of honey and distant flowers. The liquid is creamy sweet with notes of muscadines, honey, and autumn leaves. Oddly the aroma of the liquid reminds me of sunshine and warmth, it imparts a laziness to my brain.

This tea is delightfully rich and smooth, but I am such a sucker for Darjeeling, I have developed a bit of an addiction to them, and I am constantly waffling between which flush is my favorite. The thing I love most about it is how it reminds me of summer, the best parts of summer, with 2nd flush bringing memories of lazy late summer where everything takes on a golden tone. The taste starts off with a blend of muscadines and scuppernongs with a tiny bit of raisin, this moves on to toasted nuts, autumn leaves, and a really pleasant and surprising orange blossom finish. It is very warm and soothing, much like sitting in a patch of sunlight.

For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2015/03/what-cha-darjeeling-2nd-flush-2014.html

This tea did not knock my socks off the way most of What-Cha’s teas have done. That is not to say it is not a good tea. It certainly is, but in a comfortable way. To me this is a very solid everyday darjeeling. Dry it has a Cheerios and malt aroma. Brewed the scent is fruity and lightly malt. The taste is similar. Very smooth and easy to drink. There is no bitterness or astringency that I notice. Late in the sip it picks up a spicy bite that really makes the cup come alive. I felt no need for additives as this leans a little sweet. This tea stood up very well to a sandwich. Certainly a nice tea on its own, that goes great with food, and the price is right to make this a good everyday tea choice.