Good morning, dear tea friends! This first day of August dawned clear and bright, a beautiful summer’s day. My morning tea is a wonderful treat, a tippy, first flush Darjeeling from the Singbulli Estate. As you can see, the leaf is gorgeous, a multi-hued work of art from nature.

Located in the picturesque Mirik area of Darjeeling in northeastern India, the organically certified Singbulli Estate was established in 1924 by British planters. Its 9 rolling hills are spread out over 14 miles, at an altitude that ranges from 1,200 feet to 4,100 feet. Mirik comes from the word Mir-Yok, which translates to “place burnt by fire.”

I steeped the leaf for 3 minutes in just under boiling point (212F) water.

The wet leaf aroma after steeping is bright and vegetal. The cup aroma is sweet with pronounced notes of flowers.

The glowing golden-yellow liquor has a fresh, crisp mouth feel and a pronounced floral flavor with a whisper of tropical fruit. Mmmmmm….

This tea is the epitome of a first flush Darjeeling.

I chose this lovely teacup this morning because the inside is glazed the exact same color as my tea.

In my next post, I’ll show you what I think exemplifies the second flush Darjeeling character. Until then, enjoy your summer and your tea!