Greetings from Darjeeling!
After some running around, climbing up and
down the gigantic Darjeeling hills, First
Flush Darjeeling Tea 2008, has been procured
and is now out for sale. The First Flush
was a little late this year due to cold
temperature prevailing and prolonged from
the winters. There was no sunshine and little
rain, which is much needed for the First
Flush Darjeeling Tea to bloom to glory.
This year's First Flush cannot be tagged
with "limited First Flush production",
though it was a bit of a late start (not
very late), Darjeeling tea gardens could
produce good quality First Flush teas and
in abundance. Check out some of the First
Flush Darjeeling Tea 2008 we have in stock
for you. Some First Flush teas like Arya
is very limited in stock.
First Flush 2008 Offer:
Buy 2 kgs of First Flush
Darjeeling tea(s) and we will give away
our Darjeeling
Tea Club Membership package for one
year FREE - worth $59 -
which entitles you to buy any
of our product(s) at a flat 20% discount.
To get entitled, you have to order 2 kgs
from First Flush (Can be a mix order of
First Flush '08 and First Flush '07) with
your additional choice of teas if you have
any. Meaning: 2 kgs First Flush teas alone
OR 2kgs First Flush teas + your other tea
choice maybe from Second Flush, Autumn,
etc.
Good News
- We now offer FREE SHIPPING
to any country in the world irrespective
of the quantity or dollar value you buy!
Its like shopping from your next door neighbor.
All Free Shippings are sent by Airmail (15
- 30) days, but if you want to get your
teas through expediated service, option
is there when you checkout. |
OUR
PERSONAL RATING FOR 2008 FIRST FLUSH DARJEELING
TEAS:
In due course of time our new and existing
customers have asked our own opinion about
First Flush and Second Flush Darjeeling
teas, specifically pertaining as to which
teas are better and which ones are not.
All 2008 First Flush Darjeeling teas were
purchased during its peak season and it
has got its own unique characteristic features
which differ from the rest giving it a unique
quality. In other words, each tea is excellent
when compared to others, one may possess
one unique characteristic feature which
lacks in the other and vice versa. All First
Flush teas are excellent teas, however the
ratings are given below for your convenience
and ease of choice.
Higher the no.
of stars greater the quality, Ratings
are done for available teas only.
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FIRST FLUSH DARJEELING
TEA 2008 - * *NEW* * |
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ARYA RUBY
- 100% ORGANIC DARJEELING TEA (2008) |
Dry Leaves:
As the Arya Ruby fans know that Arya
Ruby leaves are quite large, but not
flaky. They are well twisted and rolled.
Well withered and fired. The leaves
are from AB2 Clonal bushes and is
rather a clonal tea. Its not greenish
in appearance because its made in
quite a different manner and in very
limited quantity. It has the overall
first flush characteristics yet differs
from the "tagged First Flush
appearance characteristics".
First Flush teas on the whole is perceived
as having a greenish appearance whose
cup is to have a weak body. This tea
overrides the concept, yet is a First
Flush tea.
Infused Leaves:
The infused leaves are rather chocolaty-brown
which opens up into actual size
of the green leaf when plucked by
tea laborers. It has a fragrance
that is floral and fruity which
is also accompanied by some buttery
and more of chocolaty aroma.
Cup:
As stated above, it is not a weak
cup, but has some body which may
appear to be strong with a greater
strength - the beauty of this tea
is that though it has a strong body,
it is smooth, fruity, flowery with
no pungency at all. A chocolaty
(caramel) taste can be found hidden
which reveals itself. A cup for
those tea connoisseurs who like
smooth tea with the characteristics
of First Flush tea. Usually smooth
teas are from the Second Flush offerings
having a mellow output in the palate. |
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US$ 29.95 |
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CASTLETON
SPECIAL CHINA - FIRST FLUSH 2008 |
Dry Leaves:
Well rolled and sorted dry leaves
with a greenish appearance. A sweet
floral aroma dominates the overall
characteristics of the dry leaves.
Apart from the sweet fragrance, it
has a piercing minty characteristics
with a hint of buttery and almondy
nose.
Infused Leaves:
The overall look of the infused
leaves turn out to be green and
opened after infusion. The sweet
fragrance seems prominent with some
almondy characteristics.
Cup:
It has a light cup with a weak strength
with a taste that is buttery, nutty
and a hint of fruity aroma reminiscent
of avagadro could be found when
we tasted. It has a complex character.
The aftertaste is sweet and lingering.
Has some astringency. |
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US$ 18.97 |
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THURBO CHINA
BLOOM - First Flush 2008 |
Dry Leaves:
This tea was the first one we selected
among the few samples that came in
for the tasting purpose. Has an overall
greenish appearance coming from the
china-hybrid plants. The dry leaves
are instant in emitting the floral
notes which are balanced with fruity
characteristics. The buttery characteristics
is prominent which is also sweet smelling.
Infused Leaves:
The infused leaves open up from
their twisted outfit and clads itself
in green giving it an overall greenish
appearance. The leaves have a piercing
minty and sweet aroma which bursts
into buttery, fruity and floral
notes.
Cup:
The cup is weak in strength and
appears light. It has well balanced
fruity and floral effervescence
which circulates your palate. A
hint of magnolia could be found
by us accompanied by almondy and
buttery taste filling the mouth.
It boasts with notes of ripe fruits.
Has a sweet aftertaste. Has some
astringency. |
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US$ 16.55 |
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SUNGMA DELIGHT
(Ch) - First Flush 2008 |
Dry Leaves:
Well rolled dry leaves with abundance
of greenish appearance when perceived
on the whole. Has a sweet-floral nose
and is inclined more towards nutty
(resembling peanut butter slightly
and also of almonds).
Infused Leaves:
The infused leaves has a higher
percentage of honey which can also
be described as sugary, sweet and
buttery. Some amount of limey characteristics
is there.
Cup:
The cup is light and the strength
of the liquor is weak as it is a
sign of the Darjeeling First Flush.
It has high floral aroma reminiscent
of the camellia flower. The liquor
tastes sweet, little limey and buttery.
Has some astringency. |
| -
US$ 17.95 |
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MARGARET'S
HOPE GREEN - First Flush 2008 |
Margaret's
Hope Darjeeling Green Tea: It
has a greenish-black well rolled dry
leaves. It has a weak body with sweet
and limey toned cup. It gives you
a fresh feeling and tends to wear
off your tiredness and makes you relaxed.
It is recommended that you do not
steep this tea for long as it tends
to get bitter with longer steeping
duration.
An affordable health tea from the
world renowned Margaret's Hope Tea
Garden. Sip for your health at an
affordable price tag. It is best to
be taken without milk and sugar. In
fact, milk should be avoided when
having any of the Darjeeling teas
- it ruins it. Sugar can be added
for the taste. |
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US$ 7.95 |
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ARYA FTGFOP1
- 100% ORGANIC - First Flush 2008 |
Dry Leaves:
The dry leaves are well sorted with
an overall greenish appearance. It
has a sweet almondy aroma which is
fresh and invigorating. Has some buttery
characteristics with a floral nose.
Infused Leaves:
The infused leaves have an amazing
bottle-green appearance which is
quite different from the rest.The
leaves opened up in a marvelous
manner giving it mild sweetness
with some minty characteristics.
Has some buttery effect accompanied
by a flowery bouquet reminiscent
of rose - rosy.
Cup:
The cup is light with a weak liquor
as above. It tastes sweet and is
fruity in character - a hint of
almonds can be found. It fills the
palate with a buttery taste which
enters the nose as you sip. It leaves
a sweet-buttery aftertaste lingering
for quite sometime on the tip of
your tongue. Some astringency is
there. |
| -
US$ 15.95 |
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RISHEEHAT
SUPREME (ch) - First Flush 2008 |
Dry Leaves:
Well twisted aromatic leaves giving
fresh floral and nutty characteristics.
Infused Leaves:
The infused leaves have an overall
greenish tinge reminiscent of First
Flush tea - a trade mark. It has
a astonishing buttery hints which
also additionally turns to be sweet
smelling, nutty and honey toned.
Cup:
The cup has a weak body as other
china breeds. It is slightly astringent
with mild sweetness and buttery
notes. The almondy taste is overwhelming.
It leaves a sweet taste at the tip
of your tongue - sweet aftertaste. |
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US$ 14.85 |
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FIRST FLUSH DARJEELING
TEA 2007 - REDUCED PRICE - LIMITED STOCK! |
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PUTTABONG Clonal
Exclusive (EX-1) - First Flush 2007 |
An ISO 9002 certified
and organic (under conversion) tea
garden, Puttabong (Tukvar) Tea
Estate was first planted in 1852.
Mainly comprising of Clonal and Chinery
bushes, the garden stretches for an
area of about 22 kms ranging from
1500 ft to 6500 ft in altitude. Good
news is that this tea garden will
be fully organic after sometime.
An excellent Puttabong First Flush
clonal reserve, christened on the
spot by Mr. Somani (Superintendent)
as "Clonal Exclusive". Its
an Organic tea from the organic
side of the plantation from AB-2 and
D1-58 clone bushes. A clonal variety
having excellent quality and graded
high by Mr. Somani himself in comparison
to his regular clonals. This tea is
one tea which boasts of having good
aromatic leaves (dry and infused)
and an equally balanced liquor - This
is why its called Clonal Exclusive
by Mr. Somani - its a rare attribute
of a clonal. The infused leaf lends
a greenish color which is sweet in
its fragrance. Its got a beautiful
sweet cup with certain amount of floral
and almondy notes. The cup is slightly
astringent but not that much as a
china grade would portray. A sweet
after taste can be found lingering
in the mouth. An A1 graded tea and
one of our favorite brew which we
don't mind preparing it again and
again. |
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US$ 17.94 Now!
US$ 15.00 |
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MARGARET'S HOPE
Tippy Clonal - First Flush 2007 |
Margaret's
Hope Tea Garden has always produced
quality teas and this seems to be
one of their best production in the
clonal category. Mr. Rawat (Factory
Assistant manager) assisted us greatly
in getting the best and we thank him
with our sincere hearts. Not to forget
the breakfast he offered to four of
us. Mr. J.D. Rai (Manager) assisted
us too but had to leave on urgent
call. He is one good tea maker appreciated
by most of other tea makers in the
Darjeeling tea industry.
This is a very nice tea with highly
aromatic dry leaves that are bigger
or bolder in size (but not flaky).
Well rolled, elongated with a sign
of brown, green and white leaves.
All have a definite lustre on it depicting
high quality. The silver tips are
in abundance. The infused leaves bear
floral notes with some nutty character
which is sweet. Its got a sweet cup
with rosy bouquet. Its minty with
some astringency and leaves your mouth
full with buttery character. |
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Now! US$ 12.80
ALL SOLD! |
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MAKAIBARI Silver
Tips (LC-5) - 100% Bio-Organic Tea
|
A prestigious
single propietor tea garden developed
in the year 1859, Makaibari Tea
Estates has a history of its own.
Situated just below the beautiful
and scenic town, Kurseong, on the
Pankhabari Road, Makaibari boasts
itself as a Bio-dynamic and chemical
free tea garden. All of its teas are
Fair Trade certified. It has
70% of its area under forest cover
and does not believe in monocultural
tea plantation. It boasts of having
nearly 400 species of birds hovering
over Makaibari. A perfect rendezvous
for nature lovers as well as social
workers willing to do their part in
the social world.
An exceptional First Flush tea from
Makaibari Tea Estates which Mr. Banerjee
tags as "Mystical and Magical
Himalayan Brew". Indeed it is
magical and mystical and is a product
of extra-ordinary quality which Mr.
Banerjee claims as the hidden forces
of nature which was unearthed from
beneath the soil. And with two Tea
Devas found on the east and west
side of Makaibari, Mr. Banerjee tends
to move more towards spirituality
which tends him more towards the welfare
of his fellow tea garden workers.
He says, “a spiritual mind is
always on the right track” and
guess he is right. Truly, apart from
the philosophy involved, this tea
is really a First Flush gem.
The dry leaves have more of a greenish
tinge with an exorbitant amount of
shining silver apex. It emits enchanting
floral and malty notes. The leaves
are little smaller in size. The infused
leaves are 90% greenish with floral,
nutty and lemony notes. It has a light
golden cup with some body. The cup
is sweet, buttery and almond oriented
with some lemony and cardamom like
taste. It has an excellent aroma of
frozen magnolia. Has mild astringency
with a sweet after taste. Our sensory
organs could detect the above tones
and notes – maybe you can detect
more. All we can say is – it’s
an excellent tea and only a tea connoisseur
tasting it will know its quality better. |
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US$ 23.25 Now!
US$ 17.00 |
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SINGBULLI SFTGFOP1
(EX-1) - First Flush 2007 |
One of renowned
tea gardens of Darjeeling, Singbulli
Tea Estate, is located in the
Mirik valley of Darjeeling district.
With an area of around 750 hectares,
it has uplifted itself and tagged
as a quality tea maker. Singbulli
and Puttabong were the first tea estates
to send their first DJs to the auctions
from the entire Darjeeling hills this
year for First Flush tea season. Singbulli
so far is renowned for its exceptional
First Flush quality teas. This was
one of our first purchase.
A mouth watering retreat for tea connoisseurs
who are seeking for real First Flush
orthodox Darjeeling character. The
dry leaves comprise of 90% greenish
tinge. It has a high floral aroma
that is intoxicating to the mind.
A quality tea with nutty (almonds)
and floral (reminiscent of rhododendrons)
infused leaves that are totally green
in appearance and are of even size.
The cup is very light with excellent
floral notes and nutty character.
It has some astringency and that is
why we call it the orthodox Darjeeling
character. It leaves you with a sweet
and buttery after taste.
The astringent character can be lowered
with lesser steeping time. Its a real
delight which you can experiment on
steeping times - you will be surprised
to know the difference. Its a tea
which can lend complex characters
and surprise you every time you do
a new steep because this is a tea
which matures with time. Limited edition!
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US$ 16.92 Now!
US$ 14.00 |
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Arya Ruby (First Flush
2008) 
Enlarge Photo
