An Approach to 2nd flush 2014 Darjeeling tea

  It is almost end of May 2014 and it is raining heavily in Darjeeling. We were all waiting for a heavy rain in Darjeeling as this year the tea industry in Darjeeling has suffered a lot due to a draught like situation.

      The whole of Darjeeling tea industry is gearing up for the next big tea harvest in Darjeeling; it’s time for the 2^nd flush 2014 Darjeeling tea harvest. This is one of the toughest harvests for the tea makers of different gardens of Darjeeling since this harvest lasts for only a short span of time. The pre 2^nd flush period starts from the end of the month of May and the 2^nd flush harvests ends with the starting of the monsoon. The peak time of 2^nd flush harvest which is eagerly awaited by both the tea lovers and the tea makers happens somewhere in between the 10^th of June to 20^th of June, well sometimes its slightly earlier, it all depends of the soil and climatic conditions.

        Darjeeling black teas are known worldwide for its unique muscatel flavour and this is the perfect time when the muscatel character is prominent in all the black teas made in Darjeeling. Tea lovers around the world compare this muscatel character of Darjeeling 2^nd flush teas with that of Muscat grapes/ Muscat wine.

     Some of the important factors for the 2^nd flush harvest are that we need a very dry climatic condition for a perfect 2^nd flush muscatel tea; the best muscatel teas are made from the most dehydrated leafs and shoots. In local language we call it “kakra”leafs; some of the gardens in Darjeeling have already started marking their best muscatel teas as “kakra musk”/ “kakra muscatel”.

     A perfect made 2^nd flush tea should have a dry deep brownish/coppery coloured leafs and a bit of gold tips in it. The Cup should have matured reddish / golden liquor and each sip should be musky, sweet and fruity with no bitterness at all.

    We have already started tasting a lot of samples from different plantations of Darjeeling and as usual we will start offering the fine teas once we get the best quality teas. Till then keep visiting our website for latest updates and enjoy the 1^st flush 2014 Darjeeling teas .