Margaret's Hope First Flush Darjeeling

My sample size states 2nd flush. A fine taste of very smooth darjeeling tea. Nice for the afternoon. Lots of fragrance bit of muscatel. Steeped leaves twice used hot water. Think to re-buy this tea.

I’m just starting to get into Darjeelings – it’s more of a curiosity at this point, than having a palate for them yet. So this is one of my first, since I started learning a bit more about them.

Brewed 2tsp in 8oz of 85C water for 1 minute.

The last time I drank a Darjeeling from Margaret’s Hope I wasn’t too impressed. This, I’m liking a fair bit. Interesting combination of sweet grapes and char. Lightly astringent with a bit of a vegetal tang on the finish. Medium body. Very distinctive.

A second steep for 1:30. More grape, less char. Very nice.

Inspired by the darjeeling discussions that have been popping up on Steepster lately, I pulled out this sample that was sent to me by the lovely Virginia. Thank you! (I have a been of a sample backlog problem, I know).
I eschewed the instructions that came with it and went with 190F water rather than 212F. The tea came out at a bright golden color that smelled of sweet grape. The main note was also a bright grape over hints of hay with a honey suckle finish. It has only a little astringency. It has that fresh mountain air quality that I love about first flush darjeelings! Overall, a very pleasant darjeeling but not mind blowing.

TTB&C 2

So… There’s a bit of a mess-up and the description for this darjeeling says the flush is from 2012. The one I have is from 2014 but there wasn’t any separate page for it, so here I am.

I am finally getting to try the famous Margaret’s Hope darjeeling! Even though I generally prefer second fluhes, this one is really superb. Fairly malty, mostly sweet with pleasant astringent undertones. It is also kind of earthy and woodsy. Kind of like a forest after the rain – if you could eat the aroma that it gives off, this is how it would taste like. I am digging it!

I also love the first flush darjeeling dry leaf, the green and straw yellow of it with glimpses of darker brown. It’s beautiful.

I am really happy that I could try it!

As I steeped this, I was very impressed (surprised?) by the color of the liquid: bright, like yellow gold. I don’t know what I was expecting, but definitely not something so pretty. The infusion smells very sweet, like cotton candy. As it hits the tongue, the immediate flavour is sweet pea, followed by honey. There is a floral note dancing in the background and sweet corn in front of it. The astringency is mild. A very good cup.
2014 flush