2009 2nd Flush Darjeelings

[Salsero]

"Bandh" that word doesn't even exist in American English. Does this mean that a Gorkha political party has called for something like a general strike in parts of West Bengal? Or is it something the government imposed in response to unrest of some sort? We don't get much information here about what happens in India and the Indian press seems to assume its readers already know quite a bit about the context. I knew there were political problems in Assam, but I guess Darjeeling is having difficulties also.

Does anyone have a good understanding of what is going on?

[aKnightWhoSaysNi]

I don't speak Hindi, but I believe the closest word to bandh in the English language would be strike or boycott.

[cyberhoofer]

The general strike in Darjeeling is now over, so things should begin to run smoothly again

[Intuit]

The general strike isn't over, merely suspended until August 17th.

http://www.darjeelingtimes.com/news/Top ... down-.html

[cyberhoofer]

Its just what I heard from Benoy Thapa (Thunderbolt Tea). At least the strike wasn't in the way of shipping the 2nd Flush Darjs to me. I received 5 kilos of their Darjs in two parcels, July the 13th & 24th. Benoy just said the strike is over.

[TeaOff]

I had quite a busy day & I just had a second pot of Castleton 'Moonlight' 2nd Flush 2009 from TeaEmporium.

I shall comment on this DJ tomorrow with more time, along with the Thurbo Classic Musk 2nd Flush 2009 (which I haven't tried yet).

However, I'm enclosing photos of the entire lot of teas in their neat packages.

The other pics are 'Moonlight' dry leaves, infused leaves, 'Moonlight' in a cup.

I will shoot the Thurbo as well with more time.


'Moonlight' in a cup

'Moonlight' in a cup #2



TeaEmporium - June 11th 2009 - 400 grams of Thurbo Classic Musk & 850 grams of Castleton 'Moonlight'


'Moonlight' 2nd Flush 2009 - dry leaves


'Moonlight' - infused leaves


'Moonlight' - infused leaves #2


-cyberhoofer-

That tea looks great. I'll have to try some when I get the money, It's very expensive!

[teanoob]

Just thought I would give some more information on this. The "Gorkhas" are originally from Nepal who moved to India either for employment or to serve in the Indian Army. Gurkhas in Darjeeling have been there for many years and are now asking for a separate state for Darjeeling, which is currently part of West Bengal.

To give you guys an example, this would be similar to say a city like Orlando wanting to separate from Florida and be named as a separate state. I don't live in Darjeeling so this is really all I know.

A "bandh" is a strike/boycott where all trade of any kind may be stopped. I heard that during the bandh in Darjeeling, planters were not allowed to even go to their plantation.

[Salsero]

Thanks for this clarification.

[Rainy-Day]

I received Castleton Moonlight and Sungma organic from TeaEmporium and I really really love Sungma but I can't get Castleton just right. Anybody got tips on how to brew Castleton vs. Sungma? Sungma in fact seems very tolerant of varying temp, leaf, etc. I never use boiling water with Darjeeling tea but this time I tried even that per instructions but it's not right still. Maybe this harvest of Castleton is a fluke? (I'm no big expert on Darjeelings, the ones I had before were all cheaper and had broken up leaf similar to sencha...)

[cyberhoofer]

I received Castleton Moonlight and Sungma organic from TeaEmporium and I really really love Sungma but I can't get Castleton just right. Anybody got tips on how to brew Castleton vs. Sungma? Sungma in fact seems very tolerant of varying temp, leaf, etc. I never use boiling water with Darjeeling tea but this time I tried even that per instructions but it's not right still. Maybe this harvest of Castleton is a fluke? (I'm no big expert on Darjeelings, the ones I had before were all cheaper and had broken up leaf similar to sencha...)

Maybe you're just expecting something Moonlight isn't. It is very far from a typical 2nd Flush DJ. To my palate Moonlight is rather subtle with complex layers of floral notes. I had nearly boiling water at 95 Centigrades, steeping time was 4,5 - 5 minutes. What I experienced was that you have to drink it quite hot to enjoy the complexity in it. And don't expect any heavy Muscatel character, because there isn't any. Hope this helps!

I got my Sungma (Turzum) Clonal Wonder from Thunderbolt for a far better price, 123 bucks for 1000 grams. Tea Emporium charges USD 160 and the tea is from the very same lot.

Perhaps I, too, was a bit disappointed in Moonlight, since I was expecting a heavier brew. However, I feel it's an excellent one-of-a-kind 2nd Flush.

I also have Thurbo Classic Musk from Tea Emporium - a good product, but can't compete with Turzum.

If you want real bargains, I recommend you try something from Lochan Tea. I bought 1 kilo of Makaibari Vintage Muscatel 2nd Flush 2009, and another kilo of Makaibari Imperial Vintage 2nd Flush 2009. Both were 50 bucks per 1000 grams including TNT shipping.

[Rainy-Day]

cyberhoofer: Thanks for the reply, that was very helpful. What I get from Moonlight is not subtle or complex layers but rather muddy flavour with some sour notes. I brewed it for about 3.5 minutes, though, and usually quite a bit lower than boiling, I will try your parameters today.

I usually buy teas by 100g or 200g at most because I drink so many different types. I have like a dozen of oolongs, a few puerhs, two shinchas, one white, two darjeelings at this time. It would take me forever to go through a kilo of Darj! Do you only drink this one type of tea for the most part?

[Rainy-Day]

cyberhoofer: By the way, do you also buy white darjeelings from tea emporium or elsewhere? How do you brew them? I got one from them and it's very nice but not quite as good as the better Pai Mutans I had so I think it may be I just like chinese whites better or I might not be brewing it right. I don't know the exact temp, but I think I use about 170-175 and 5-6 minutes. That's about what I use for Pai Mutan and silver needles, as well.

[cyberhoofer]

cyberhoofer: Thanks for the reply, that was very helpful. What I get from Moonlight is not subtle or complex layers but rather muddy flavour with some sour notes. I brewed it for about 3.5 minutes, though, and usually quite a bit lower than boiling, I will try your parameters today.

I usually buy teas by 100g or 200g at most because I drink so many different types. I have like a dozen of oolongs, a few puerhs, two shinchas, one white, two darjeelings at this time. It would take me forever to go through a kilo of Darj! Do you only drink this one type of tea for the most part?

I gather there's something either wrong with the Moonlight or then it's in your water & how it counteracts with that particular tea.

Maybe you should try bamboo charcoal with your water. I have excellent water from a drilled well from 70 meters depth without chlorine or other additives, but wanted to try bamboo charcoal. I got mine yesterday from Singapore, and the Moonlight turned out even better.

http://stores.shop.ebay.com.my/Dinosaur ... mit=Search

and

http://stores.ebay.com.my/DinosaurHouse

There's also a very informative streaming video on bamboo charcoal(nearly 23 minutes long), at another site:

http://www.blacktonature.com/cctv_tech.shtml



For the most part I drink 2nd Flush single estate Darjs, but also fond of some Assams, Lapsang Souchong, some flavoured black teas. I'm new to Oolongs, so far have tried Arya Topaz from Darj (Thunderbolt), Nepalese Meghma Oolong (Lochan Tea) and Bai Hao Oriental Beauty (Dragon Tea House - eBay).

[cyberhoofer]

cyberhoofer: By the way, do you also buy white darjeelings from tea emporium or elsewhere? How do you brew them? I got one from them and it's very nice but not quite as good as the better Pai Mutans I had so I think it may be I just like chinese whites better or I might not be brewing it right. I don't know the exact temp, but I think I use about 170-175 and 5-6 minutes. That's about what I use for Pai Mutan and silver needles, as well.

So far I've bought a few expensive green & white Darjs from Golden Tips Tea & Kho-Cha Tea: Okayti 2nd Flush White, Okayti Emerald 2nd Flush Green & Okayti Silver Moon.

Your parameters are just fine. Water should never exceed 181 grades (i.e. 83 Centigrades), if you want to maintain & preserve the precious antioxidants in green & white teas. I've had steeping times up to 10 minutes in whites, that have turned out outstanding, even in multiple infusions. It's all about experimenting after all.

I still have an unopened 100 g bag of Makaibari Silver Tips from last year, which I'm saving for special occasions...

[Rainy-Day]

cyberhoofer:

I always use poland spring water, I can't stand even filtered tap water. We don't have wells here unfortunately so I have no choice but to pay up. I don't think charcoal would improve poland spring?

I'm actually not a fan of oolongs in particular, which is how I ended up with so many of them! My favorites are chinese whites and greens, I am getting into good japanese greens, too, I can appreciate a good taiwan or china oolong now and then (haven't tried indian oolongs - in fact haven't even heard of them before); sometimes yunnan gold or sichuan gong fu (both black teas) are very nice, I like a good pu-erh when I have time for it, too. I haven't had Darjeelings in a very long time, at least a couple of years, before ordering these.

I tried moonlight again and there's a good deal of improvement if I use less leaf, but Sungma is still far better. It's sweeter, more balanced, it has muscatel notes while Moonlight does not seem to. The last brew of Moonlight almost had no sour notes that I complained about before, but it's just duller than Sungma. I'll experiment some more.. I gotta order more Sungma, though, for the price it's just amazing. Even the best Darjeelings I had before were much plainer and simpler... I'll have to try some other Darjeelings now. Are first flushes still fresh and worth buying?