March 28, 2023
by Cynthia Fazekas
Spring is where and when you find it! Fortunately for us, we found it very early this year in the blossomy leaves of this very early first flush Darjeeling from Rohini tea garden. What a welcome treat! The cultivar B157 used for this tea, is an early bloomer and produces generally a month ahead other tea plants and can yield up to a month later. Historically, we have found that super early pluckings are not very engaging, but this third week of February harvest caught our attention with deliciously lingering floral notes.
The tea garden gives this tea the name jethrikupi which carries two meanings. The first is a Nepali word for ‘eldest daughter’ indicating the early budding of this plucking and as such is an honorable title. The second meaning is from Manipuri which means ‘jasmine flower.’ Both of meanings of this title are well-suited for these early buds and for the lovely, flowery nature in the cup. One can also sense the gentle touch of the tea gatherers and the nurturing of these leaves. A delightfully accurate moniker.
This Rohini it is softer in the finish than most first flush Darjeelings, but the billowy floral notes are worth the sacrifice of crispness, which can seem bitter to those not familiar or when over steeped. Grown at roughly 1000-1,500 feet, these previous teas are only harvesting this one time of year after the winter dormancy of the tea plant. They are best consumed right after harvest to enjoy at their freshest before the floral notes evolve into fruitiness. We suggest three minutes at 212F but feel free to experiment. While wonderful while still hot, try letting the cup cool to room temperature and observe how the floral notes become even more apparent. Savor each complex sip and rejoice at the beginning of the new harvest season.
