First word from Darjeeling

This is the time of the year that we put our ears to the tracks to hear what is happening in our favorite places: China and India. Here is our first report from Darjeeling:

After the useful showers in January, February has turned out to be dry and as a result the bushes, along with the producers are looking skywards.

The bushes are ready to sprout those leaves, but the lack of rain is holding them back!

With the January rains we had expected that we would see the first of the true First Flush Invoices by this week, but now it seems, we may have to wait another 7 – 10 days. Therefore, whilst First Flush is not going to be early, as we had thought it might be, what is causing a certain amount of concern is that if there is no rain by around the 15^th, there could be a setback in terms of the quantum of good 1^st Flush that may be available. The weather has been surprisingly good, with “coolish” temperatures which has resulted in no build up of moisture and therefore the lack of rain.

Rains coming after 20^th could result in heavy rains a for a couple of days and this could be detrimental to quality as there could be a rush of crop.

A couple of early invoices from lower elevations are likely to reach Kolkata end of this week.

Special Chinese Black Teas

I love Chinese blacks. Nothing like a good Fujian Black: Panyang or Chingwo. Recently the Chinese have been doing great blacks from the Lapsang region: Jin Jun Mei is a good example. And who would not love a Keemun Mao Feng. The complex mixtures of sweet, honey, cocoa, and fruity flavor with a great body do warm my bones. Unfortunately, it appears that I am not the only one who likes it. Now the Chinese are experimenting with black teas. They used to drink green and oolongs, and sell blacks to us Westerners.

 I remember visiting the famous Lapsang factory high up in the beautiful Wuyi Mountains. There was this guy there that was from Beijing that was supervising the workers. He only wanted the best of the best of the early Spring crop. He would show the factory managers how he wanted it done. And he was showing some of the best tea people in China how to improve. He was going back to Beijing and selling for a ton or maybe two.

 We just got this note about another black tea from our Chinese supplier:

 XIN YANG HONG is one kind of Black tea of special quality, as well as it is very expensive also. Perhaps you know, it is crazy for some tea in domestic market in past year, such as Pu-Erh Tea some years ago, and recently special Black Tea is getting crazy, such as Jin Jun Mei and Xin Yang Hong, their prices are about ten thousand yuan RMB half kilo and more.

 Fyi, we can't supply XIN YANG HONG at moment because these tea have been sold out already, fresh XIN YANG HONG from 2012 crop will be available in May/June 2012.

Great Japanese Greens

Today, I tasted two fabulous green teas from Japan. One was the Sencha Master's Pick. the leaves were long and dark green. The liquor was great body. The other was the Gyokuro Heavenly. What a fabulous tea, after drinking it, I had shivers down my back. Great body and lovely sweetness, I enjoyed this tea. Yes these two teas are expensive, but they are great.

Spring 2011 OOlongs

Here is some news about production of some of our favorite teas:

Since early May, the continuous rain fall in Fujian affected tea pluck time, evermore has delayed
2011 new oolong tea crop. Normally, the oolong comes to market at the end of April, but this year,
it will just come out this week.

Morning tea in Darjeeling

My son Emeric and I are drinking some Selimbong first flush done yesterday, awaiting the sunrise. I just heard the siren that marks the start of the day for pickets. Soon we will look at the withered (wilted) tea leaves that will rooked and oxidized then fired (dried) in an oven to make today's DJ of tea. That tea will be labeled Selimbong SFTGFOP1 DJ 16. We had yesterday's
's DJ 15 and it was lovely. Yesterday started by walking down to the Okayti factory on the Nepalese border. We toured it and tasted some teas. Later we visited the grave of Bernd Wulf, father of my fellow traveller , Marcus. Bernd was instrumental in developing the First Flush style of Darjeeling and printing it around the world. It was a lovely place high on a hill overlooking many tea gardens.

Then we went to Seeyok Darjeeling to tour and taste. Then it was down a steep and bumpy road to cross the river and drive up to Selimbong.these are lovely organic gardens. They make great teas. Today we are off to Risheehat.

Travel to the tea gardens

We are getting ready to visit India and China to see what nature and the tea workers have made.

We leave on the 10th to visit Darjeeling, then Assam. Then it is off to Hangzhou to taste some great Chinese green teas and then off to Changsha to see what Hunan has done this year.

I am traveling with my tasting buddies Marcus Wulf and Elvira Cardenas. Also my son, Emeric, who manages our SoHo store will be coming.

Darjeeling is open

There has been labor strife in the mountains of Darjeeling. So, there was none of the First Flush Darjeelings being shipped. Now that seems to have been resolved. So we should have this year's offerings soon. The season, so far, has produced better teas than last year.