The First Flush.
For those of you who are curious Darjeeling (and Assam) teas, when harvested, are done so in flushes. The first flush is considered to be the finest of the flushes. Usually this is done in March – April.
The one I am drinking currently is in a bag and so I am not tasting it at it’s optimal flavor (leaves that float uninhibited will present more flavor). Regardless, I am still impressed. It is a triangle tea bag and so there is a bit more room then your usual square tea bag.
The dry and wet leaf have a wonderful, sweet, earthy aroma. Maybe somewhat on the woodsy side. Darjeeling does not seem to be ther type of tea you can steep twice and get better or equal flavor from. The first time the mouth feel was of a gentle woodsy breeze; which is still present now but less pronounced.
If I close my eyes while I sip it I can imagine the misty tea gardens.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black/Darjeeling
Where to Buy: Lupicia
Description
DARJEELING THE FIRST FLUSH is an exclusive blend of spring-picked Darjeeling leaves. This tea has a green, fresh aroma and crisp astringency. The tea is so delicate in flavor and light in color, if you drink it thinking it’s just another cup of ordinary black tea, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. Enjoy its gentle mouthfeel like a spring breeze.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Baltimore Clipper Tea from Eastern Shore Tea Co. . . .
Baltimore Clipper Tea is a black-and-green ” ‘Historic re-creation’ of the China tea carried during the golden years of the American Clipper Ship.”
Ahhh, those golden years from the 1830s until the 1850s. I should make a #ThrowbackThursday post about those sweet, sweet memories past.
This tea is EXTREMELY rich and malty. The black tea is the main stage, with a tiny bit of the green mostly in the background. The green adds a little tinge of that earthy bitterness, but not much else. I’m not quite sure why the green is there, maybe for historical accuracy? How was tea made in the 1830s?
While researching this clipper ship thing (or, okay, reading the tea description), I found out that the ships were essentially racing to England from China after harvest time. The English wanted their tea ASAP. They paid a premium for the freshest arrivals from the latest harvest.
Can you IMAGINE being a sea captain on one of those clipper ships? “AVAST, MATEY, GOTTA SERVE THE QUEEN! CHOP CHOP CHOP! THE CORGIS NEED A CUPPA!”
And then the swashbuckling crew is like “hold on, we’re finishing our own cups,” and the sea captain roars “THAT IS FOR THE GOOD PEOPLE OF ENGLAND, YOU BRUTES! NEVER DIP INTO YOUR OWN STASH! THAT’S THE FIRST RULE!”
A golden era, guys. We’ll never see it again. We land-lubbers will just have to blog about it from mostly-landlocked states. Alas.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Eastern Shore Tea Co.
Description
Experience a taste of the excitement engendered by America’s merchant adventurers who built and owned the finest clipper ships in the world. The first real clipper ship was the “Ann McKim,” built for Isaac McKim in 1832. When the British ended the East India Company monopoly in the 1830s, the U.S. began a China trade with faster and more capacious ships, and competition between the two countries grew. Repeal of the British Navigation Laws in 1849 allowed American ships to load Asian tea for British markets. A typical voyage from Boston to Canton and back to England by way of the Cape of Good Hope took nine to ten months. American fortunes were made carrying furs from the Pacific Northwest to China, where they were traded for tea. A premium was paid in England for the earliest arriving ship with the season’s new teas from China. The first American ship to reach the docks was the Oriental arriving from Hong Kong in only ninety-seven days, creating a sensation. The twenty-five years of the clipper ended when the Suez Canal provided a shorter route through the Mediterranean. It was a romantic era in America’s maritime history and another chapter of tea’s long and important story in the world economy.
An “Historic re-creation” of the China tea carried during the golden years of the American Clipper Ship. Blended Black & Green China tea. Contains Caffeine. 20 Count foil wrapped tea bags in our classic white ribbon bag.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
