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Home » Styles of Tea » Darjeeling Black Tea » Darjeeling First Flush
Updated: Apr. 4, 2012
Although technically classified as a black tea, first flush Darjeeling tea has often a lighter, often greenish color and can be much milder than most black teas. Many first flush Darjeeling teas have little bitterness or astrigency and can even have some natural sweetness. They often have a pronounced floral aroma as well, and some have an aroma resembling muscatel grapes. In many respects, these teas more closely resemble oolong teas in color, flavor, and aroma because the oxidation is less complete than in most black teas. However, they are usually considered distinct from proper Darjeeling oolongs.
First flush Darjeeling is considered a highly desirable tea, and can be very expensive, although the range of prices is broad. Broken-leaf, single-estate first flush teas can sometimes be less expensive than whole-leaf, mixed-flush, blended Darjeeling. Because the qualities of each tea depend on the climate conditions of the particular year of harvest, the batches can vary considerably from year to year.
Darjeeling First Flush
Updated: Apr. 4, 2012
About Darjeeling First Flush
Darjeeling first flush or first flush Darjeeling tea designates Darjeeling tea that has been harvested at a specific time, immediately following spring rains.
Although technically classified as a black tea, first flush Darjeeling tea has often a lighter, often greenish color and can be much milder than most black teas. Many first flush Darjeeling teas have little bitterness or astrigency and can even have some natural sweetness. They often have a pronounced floral aroma as well, and some have an aroma resembling muscatel grapes. In many respects, these teas more closely resemble oolong teas in color, flavor, and aroma because the oxidation is less complete than in most black teas. However, they are usually considered distinct from proper Darjeeling oolongs.
First flush Darjeeling is considered a highly desirable tea, and can be very expensive, although the range of prices is broad. Broken-leaf, single-estate first flush teas can sometimes be less expensive than whole-leaf, mixed-flush, blended Darjeeling. Because the qualities of each tea depend on the climate conditions of the particular year of harvest, the batches can vary considerably from year to year.
Best Darjeeling First Flush
The notion of the "best" Darjeeling First Flush is subjective, because different people have different tastes. We present the most often-rated and highest-rated teas in this category, and allow you to draw your own conclusions.
Most Often-Rated Teas: Darjeeling Organic First Flush
47 3 Ratings  Singbulli Darjeeling DJ41
57 3 Ratings  Makaibari Estate Darjeeling 1st Flush Black Tea
2 Ratings  TD78: Puttabong Estate SFTGFOP1 Cl/Queen 1st Flush (DJ-36)
1 Rating  Darjeeling Vidyaranya Black Tea
1 Rating | Top-Rated Teas:Singbulli Darjeeling DJ41
57 3 Ratings Darjeeling Organic First Flush
47 3 Ratings |