The best teas to try this season

I spent the weekend tasting the season’s teas, and feel I’ve barely scratched the surface. The teas are showing none of the stress their planters face running an estate. Someone told me recently—in a coffee conversation—that a little stress on the plant is not a bad thing. Perhaps tea too has responded to its own pressures by giving its very best. This year’s collection certainly feels that way.

I started with Nilgiris winter frost tea from Havukal, which arrives in February in a short harvest window. I’ve written about this tea before, but it remains so untapped. It brews a clean, richly flavourful cup that anyone who enjoys a high-grown tea should try for themselves.

Another outstanding tea was from Kangra, which has been finding its feet these past few years as young planters have taken over the work, investing in quality and skill. I tried two from the Wah tea estate—an SFTGFOP1 (Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe 1, a black tea grade) was superb with its sweet aroma, slightly toasty and a noticeable vegetal aftertaste. While this batch has been sold out, their Spring Royale is in production and a worthy choice, with a slightly smoky aroma and a toasted note.

And then, Darjeeling, a region that stakes so much on this season. There was an early flush, with lower-elevation gardens harvesting by late February instead of the usual March. I tried an assortment of black teas, some estates for the first time. Across the set, the leaves were green and sweet-smelling, brewing liquors that ranged from deep yellow to orange-red. The leaves are lightly oxidised and remain green when steeped. Among the many clean, refined cups I tried, the Arya, Balasun and Giddapahar stood out and the Risheehat Moonshine topped my list. The Moonshine is something of a Darjeeling speciality—made from clonal bushes in smaller volumes—and if spring teas speak to you, this tea ought to be on your list. Several gardens (Jayshree Tea, Glenburn, Goodricke, Gopaldhara, Makaibari) retail their teas or if you prefer, choose first-flush samplers from retailers like Nathmulls, Golden Tips, and Mayukh.

The Darjeeling spring blacks are sometimes considered almost oolong like, in how green they still are. An unfair comparison and an unhelpful one, but there is one oolong I am seeking and that’s the Baozhong from Gopaldhara. Having enjoyed a Taiwanese Baozhong, an Indian one holds appeal.

The Assam first flush was my happy surprise. The second flush draws all the attention and I do love the malty sweet Assams of May but this time, I sought some of the first-flush CTCs from Jayshree Tea’s Upper Assam and Cachar gardens. Aromatic, still “green” brewing a lighter cup, less astringent than the second, it works great for milk tea on a summer day—a second flush would have simply been too much to take. I hope the day isn’t far when Assam’s first flush is also presented as is, and we celebrate each of our unique teas through every season.

1001 Teas is a fortnightly series about the many stories hidden in the world of tea. Aravinda Anantharaman (@AravindaAnanth1) is a tea drinker, writer and editor.