2013 Goomtee SFTGFOP 1- EX 2 First Flush Darjeeling Tea

 This tea was gifted by Lochan Teas. This tea is available from them or alternatively it is also available from Tea Trekker. Tea Trekker does a great job of vetting only the best first flush teas. Often the first flush teas Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss choose to sell are also some of ones most enjoyable. This is one of the reasons why tea shops in North America have their place. Goomtee Estate makes fine first flush teas consistently year to year, this year is no different...

The dry leaves emit a very light, juicy sweet, full on grapey assault of the senses. These same mix of multicoloured leaves also have a distant floral quality and a pungent foresty feel under the distinctly grape odour.

The first pot is steeped up and a very pure, light, smooth sweetness is found in the initial taste followed by a gradual evolution towards very soft tangerine and grape notes. There are very light but fresh forsest and candy sweet notes in there as well but are much less recognizable then the others. The mouthfeel is as soft and delicate as the taste, just faintly covering the tongue. In the aftertaste a barely recognizable bitterness starts to develop.

The second infusion delivers strong, pure uncomplicated grape tastes at the onset. These grape tastes evolve into deeper grape tastes. The flavour isn't overly complicated and deep, but rather pure and distinct. The mouthfeel is more full in this infusion filling the tongue with a light, airy, sticky quality that reaches into the throat and gets caught in the gums. The qi is also very light and uplifting as it moves freely throughout the body. Only very slight edges of any bitter appear in the aftertaste but are almost unrecognizable.

The third infusion the light, fresh, pure grape notes are still obvious but become just slightly more muddled. The aftertaste develops a light candy sweetness over a slightly muddled grape-foresty, barely bitter taste. The mouthfeel is fullest, now coating the whole mouth and even mid throat in a very light, airy but substantial coating.

The fourth infusion pushes out much the same but much less vibrant now and more brackish, almost rubbery tasting. There is still the dominant taste of grape even this late into the session.

Peace