First Flush Teas - Cup of Tea

First Flush Teas 2021

Our new Darjeeling Orange Valley First Flush Organic Tea 2021 is here!

The highly aromatic first flush tea is full-bodied in character and very special for 2021. Picked from the Orange Valley tea plantation in the west of Darjeeling, the tea is fresh, tangy and aromatic with a hint of naturally occurring light sweetness and spice. A stunning tea that is a must-try!

NEW Darjeeling First Flush Tea

What is First Flush Tea?

First Flush teas signify the ‘first pick of Spring’ in the tea world. It is of particular importance in the Darjeeling region of India, set in the foothills of the Himalayas. After the harsh winter, when the dormant tea plants finally wake up, the arrival of the youngest and most tender leaves of the tea plants (Camellia Sinensis) is eagerly awaited. This first pick is known as First Flush, and devoted tea fans worldwide await the arrival of the First Flush Darjeeling tea. Only the young leaves are hand-picked with great care by highly experienced pickers to produce the finest, most delicate and refreshing black tea.

About Darjeeling Tea

Darjeeling, in India, is revered as one of the finest tea regions in the world and loose-leaf teas produced here are known as the ‘Champagne of Teas’. The Darjeeling region stretches between high mountain ridges and deep mountain valleys, making the terrain challenging and rough to farm and harvest. This, as well as the high-altitude, hours of sun, rain and other weather factors, impart a delicate yet concentrated flavour to Darjeeling teas.

Orthodox Production Methods

After the harsh cold winters in the mountainous Himalayas, the spring rain and sun gently bring the tea plants back to life. Shoots emerge consisting of a single bud and two leaves, and these emerging leaves are selling at premium prices across the world. For the tea to be classified as First Flush, it must be produced using the orthodox method, which means that the leaves have to be picked by hand. The tea making process involves withering the shoots, fermenting and drying them, then finally grading according to their size and quality.

Complex Tea Flavour

First Flush Darjeeling loose-leaf teas have complex flavours and characteristics. Some are highly aromatic with a slightly fruity nature, while others offer unexpected and entirely natural sweetness. The best First Flush teas are the most fragrant because the leaves develop slowly in the cooler spring sunshine and have a more concentrated essence from the plants after winter hibernation. Many aficionados have identified numerous aromas and flavours depending on the tea itself, including mossy notes, honeyed apple or orange blossom, hints of muscatel and citrus. We could go on!

Tea Leaf Grades

You’ll notice that teas, especially the finer or higher quality teas, will have letters within their name. But what do those letters really mean? As a general rule, the more letters, the better the tea. These are industry letters describing the various qualities of tea.

S = Superior
F = Fine – Excellent quality
T = Tippy – These are the leaf buds that are the premium pick
G = Golden – Indicating golden brown teas only used for teas from India
F = Flowery – A term describing fragrance and aroma
O = Orange – Refers to the tracing back to Royal tea gardens, meaning exquisite or especially good
P = Pekoe – A Chinese word for ‘white down’ referring to the fine thin hairs on the tea leaf’s edge

First Flush Darjeeling Teas

Darjeeling Orange Valley First Flush Organic Tea 2021

Darjeeling Badamtam First Flush Organic

Our Organic Darjeeling Badamtam First Flush is a distinctive Darjeeling tea with a characteristically fresh flavour. This fabulous loose-leaf tea is grown on the Badamtam Tea Estate, located about 17kms from Darjeeling town and at an altitude ranging between 305 - 1830 meters above sea level. This particular Darjeeling is a premium First Flush with a memorable fresh, flowery taste.

Darjeeling Tumsong First Flush Organic

Our organic Darjeeling Tumsong is an elegant and flowery loose-leaf tea that is lively and highly aromatic. A top-quality tea from one of the most famous gardens in Darjeeling, Tumsong is renowned worldwide for fine quality teas. This tea has full, flowery nuances that are lively and offers a highly aromatic flavour.

Second Flush Darjeeling Teas

Once the spring harvest is over and the tea bushes have been plucked, the plants are allowed to recover and grow new leaves. As the season continues, fresh leaves will develop, but they will have a somewhat different colour that will give the tea a very different persona when processed. This tea is known as Second Flush, and even though it is from the same plant, in the same garden, the taste will be quite different from the First Flush.

Our organic Darjeeling Seeyok is an exquisite Second Flush with aromatic and nutty notes. The top-quality loose-leaf tea from the Seeyok estate lies high near the Indian/Nepalese border. The cool nights followed by days of intense sunshine define the unique tea.

Darjeeling Margarets Hope Second Flush is lovely soft Darjeeling with a strong body and fruity aromatic muscatel notes. It becomes a firm favourite for everyone who tries it.

Buying and Storing First Flush Teas

Buying loose-leaf First Flush tea means that you are purchasing some of the freshest and most exquisite teas available. First Flush teas are premium teas, so you are usually investing in the tea. They are generally only lightly oxidised so that their fresh flavour can shine through. First Flush teas can last up to two years if stored properly in a cool, dark, airtight container away from light, moisture and pantry items such as coffee and spices that can filter flavour into the tea leaves. We have a fantastic range of tea caddies, and our new favourites are the embossed Mandala caddy and the Globe double-lidded caddy.