First Flush Darjeeling Puttabong

[murrius]

I got an order of tea from Tea Emporium delivered today. Tonight I am reveling in the first flush 2009 Darjeeling Puttabong. This is a sensational tea. Light and floral. Not oolong floral (which I love) but almost the floral notes you sometimes get from a good sencha; only up in the foreground instead of the background. The taste is very complex. I made two steeps tonight but I can already tell this this is going to be one of my favourite teas for 2009.

[kymidwife]

Ditto... been drinking this nearly every day since it arrived... magically delicious!

I was waiting before ordering more, hoping for an amazing Castleton Moonlight again this year... but according to a recent email from Tea Emporium, the CM didn't do well at all this year... so, I'm reordering the Puttabong. Fantastic stuff.

Sarah

[Salsero]

How do you guys brew it?

Last year's Castleton Moonlight was thrilling ... one of the best teas I ever tasted. But the Puttabong (Tukvar) Dj-7 this year is not doing it for me. This could be a case of super sniffers (you guys) versus the olfactorily challenged (me) since most of the superlatives seem to revolve around pure aromas.

Or ... I am just brewing it wrong. I know that Sarah is using less than boiling water, a deviation from my usual behavior that I have not as of yet indulged.

Also, the Margaret's Hope White tea is a total dud for me. I am used the the fat buds of the Chinese whites but the Margaret's Hope is made of leaf pieces. Bland.

[Geekgirl]

Wow, I found the Margaret's Hope to be incredibly complex, but I think that was mainly due to the amazing aromas. The taste itself... I think without being able to appreciate the aroma, it might be a little typical. Notes of fir, citrus and "herb," (you know the kind. )

[Salsero]

"herb"

You mean like the oregano I paid $10 for a baggie of in high school? Anyway, with that big hint, I may do some olfactory calisthenics and then take the M. H. around the block another time. I am really getting to feel left out here.

[PolyhymnianMuse]

"herb"

You mean like the oregano I paid $10 for a baggie of in high school?

Someone ripped you off Sal, stop by my place later on...

[murrius]

How do you guys brew it?

I have been using boiling water but much shorter steeps than I would usually use with a darjeeling; like 2 minutes. I'm still playing around with it though.

[kymidwife]

For the puttabong, I'm going 195 for about 1-2 minutes, heavy on the leaf... and longer infusions on the 2nd and 3rd... 4th is getting weak but I drink it anyway.

The white Margaret's Hope was alittle too mild for me, but ok. The other Margaret's Hope FF was really pretty good, but not nearly as good as the Puttabong to me.

Puttabong from Teavana of all places was my first Darjeeing that I fell in love with... Auggy and I both got some in Dallas last summer... and I am loving this one too. Still sad that the Castleton isn't supposed to be very good... I was so looking forward to it.

Sarah