2012 Castleton Estate SFTGFOP 1 CL TPY Seond Flush Darjeeling

After all the moaning about Castleton's pure, vibrant, energizing high notes one thought to try a sample from this year's harvest that was kindly gifted with this year's order. What a better time to try this on a cool Summer day. As one soon found out, Castleton's Second Flush still has it...


The large, very light coloured, and fully intact leaves are full of white buds in the mix. They emit light, flowering, fruity, sweet notes which dominate the nose with each breath in. There is a subtle misty forest and bubblegum sweetness found underneath.

These leaves are added to the heated pot and water that has reached boil is poured over the leaves. The first infusion pours a clean, light, yellow-brown. Vibrant, sweet, fruit muscatel taste emerges first then develops into a ghostly coco and light wood on the pallet. The mouthfeel is full and coats the mouth in a fine painting of sensations.

The second infusion presents sour-sweet high notes which come first with noticeable muscatel fruit impressions. The tea liquid is very full in the mouth and tugs even at the upper-mid throat. The taste rounds out leaving a slight bitter-sweet grapey peel aftertaste behind. Qi is vibrant and uplifting and travels smoothly to the head.

The third infusion is light, sweet, long, grapey-muscatel notes which stretch into the aftertaste. They are now thinner in the mouth but the high notes seem more free and clean here. The nose starts running as the light qi floats up into the nose and eyes.

The fourth infusion is light, watery, with slightly floral notes which are overcome by long, bland, coco and flat wood aftertastes. The mouthfeel has become simple here. Ones mind is uplifted over the clean qi from this tea.

Peace