Origin: Darjeeling
Tea Estate: Thurbo
Tea colour: black
Length of infusion: 3’45
Water temperature: 85°C
Dry leaves
Aspect: large twisted leaves with downy buds.
Colours: brown, coppery leaves with some green leaves (more loosely rolled).
Scents: fruity, vanilla, bread crust, toasted aromas, with a few fresh planty and floral (rose) notes.
Brewed leaves (infusion)
Scents: almond (almond milk), planty, fruity (pitted fruits and black fruits), vanilla notes, with a few livelier herbal aromas.
Liquor
Colour: a clear, gleaming coppery yellow liquor.
Texture: thick and round in the mouth. A delicate astringency gives it some strength as well as thickness, and ensures it lingers well.
Flavours: a touch of sugary bitterness that makes the notes linger.
Aromas: a geranium attack. Floral, rose, almond (fresh and green almond), planty (stem, artichoke) notes, combined with fruit (black fruit: blackcurrant, blueberry) and a few toasted aromas (roasted hazelnut, bread crust).
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: plenty of character and lovely long black fruit, citrus (grapefruit), planty, minty, herby notes.
Our verdict: This lot has the typical delicacy of a first flush Darjeeling, yet combined with unusual black fruit notes. This original tea ensures the Thurbo garden stands out among our selections for Spring 2010.