The origins of our 2021 Goomtee Darjeeling First Flush Tea
One sip of our light, sweet and floral Goomtee Darjeeling tea fresh from the mountainous region of West Bengal, India, will transport you to the misty mountains of Darjeeling. An exceptional single origin Darjeeling first flush, long rolled leaves of this black tea characterise 2021 Goomtee with silvery buds and green leaves, a golden yellow infusion and delightful fruity characters that make it perfect for mid-morning or afternoon drinking.
Harvested in spring at the historic Goomtee Tea Estate, the finest light-bodied orthodox tea leaves infuse to yield has a lively mouthfeel, with fresh tropical tree fruits such as peaches and apricot. Those sweet tropical flavours are followed by floral notes with hints of orchid, adding depth and character to the cup. This tea is perfect on its own, and we do not recommend adding milk, although you might find that a few drops of lemon and a drop of honey enhance its flavour.
Established in 1899 by British pioneer Henry Lennox, Goomtee Tea Estate sits in the Darjeeling hills, just outside the town of Kurseong. The estate is famed for producing beautiful floral and aromatic teas with complex flavours from the tea bushes of the Old China cultivar. Located at a cool elevation of 1,400m, the tea garden is mainly planted with an old China cultivar, resulting in pronounced floral characters and the muscatel quality Darjeeling is renowned for.
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In Darjeeling, first flush teas are something special – generally rolled and oxidised to a lesser extent than other flushes to preserve their freshness and natural character. This micro-batch example from Goomtee is outstanding – beautiful to look at, with its soft, wavy grey and green leaves, and a real joy of the 2021 Darjeeling harvest.
Other exceptional Darjeeling First Flush teas
Want to order a caddy of Darjeeling's charismatic 2021 first flush teas? Our tasters have carefully chosen a selection of some of this year's best for you to explore, including Margaret's Hope, Selimbong, Snowview and Upper Namring. You can compare these with a classic second flush Darjeeling from the Margaret's Hope Estate and the summer harvest. Happy sipping!
Can't decide which Darjeeling to try? Sample six of our 2021 Darjeeling first flush teas with a Discovery Pack. You can find out more about Darjeeling and what makes its flushes so special in our Tea Journal.