KOREA BLACK TEA JUKRO - FLUSH 2010

Origin: Korea, Hadong district
Tea colour: black tea
Length of infusion: 4’
Water temperature: 90°C

Dry leaves
Aspect: leaves rolled and twisted lengthways.
Colour: very dark brown.
Scents: cooked fruits and black fruits, vanilla pods, milky, pronounced chocolate notes.

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Colour: brown.
Scents: floral (geranium), preserved citrus, cooked fruit (jam), milky, toasted, pronounced cocoa (roasted beans, chocolate) and woody notes.

Liquor
Colour: a lovely coppery liquor.
Texture: round and smooth.
Flavours: sweet.
Aromas: milky vanilla, fruity (cooked fruit, jam), a hint of honey, floral (geranium), preserved citrus, toasted and liquorice notes.
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: rich, round and elegant chocolate notes (cocoa). well balanced, lingering woody, toasted and vanilla notes.

Our verdict: This tea is really quite unique. Plucked and processed entirely by hand at the Jukro farm, this is one of the best black teas produced in the country. The cocoa, vanilla bouquet evokes the rich note of the China Qimen Mao Feng teas, but its strength, richness and intensity takes us more in the direction of the best dark Wu Longs from Taiwan. An outstanding gastronomic experience!

DARJEELING PHUGURI DJ11 «PURE AV2» - 2010 FIRST FLUSH

Origin: Darjeeling
Tea Estate: Phuguri
Tea colour: black
Length of infusion: 3'30
Water temperature: 85°C

Dry leaves
Aspect: large, loosely rolled leaves with beautiful silver buds.
Colours: brown, khaki.
Scents: a fragrant bouquet: floral (rose, violet, hyacinth) and fruity (mango, apricot, peach, lychee, sweet mild vanilla and a very fresh, lively planty note.

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Scents: the first notes are floral and sweet, with almond, fruit and vanilla (cooked fruit), followed by heady notes of camphor and herbs. When cold, it has hints of vanilla, cooked fruit and chocolate.

Liquor
Colour: a gleaming orange liquor.
Texture: a delicate astringency that fills the mouth and sustains the aromas.
Flavour: slightly sweet at the start.
Aromas: almond and sweet vanilla notes, combined with floral fragrances, developing planty, herbal notes (camphor, rosemary, thyme).
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: a feeling of lingering freshness fills the mouth, combined with planty (herbal) and floral notes.

Our verdict: this is one for those seeking rich and luxurious liquors! This very fine batch from the Phuguri estate consists of mainly AV2 leaves and presents all the key features of this famous cultivar: aromatic complexity, a full floral bouquet and rich base notes, perfectly balanced by the flavours and texture of the liquor. A work of art!

DARJEELING NORTH TUKVAR DJ50 «CLONAL QUEEN» SFTGFOP1-2010 FIRST FLUSH

Origin: Darjeeling
Tea Estate: North Tukvar
Tea colour: black
Length of infusion: 3’30 - 3’45
Water temperature: 85°C

Dry leaves
Aspect: rolled, twisted leaves with plenty of buds.
Colours: brown, khaki, silver.
Scents: a fruity bouquet of mango, preserved citrus fruit, apricot syrup, breadcrumb. A sweet, rose, floral note, and toasted aromas.

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Scents: a rich, floral bouquet (rose), with almond (sweet almond), vanilla, butter (cake mixture, brioche) and fruit (yellow fruit, stewed mango in syrup).

Liquor
Colour: a clear, gleaming orange liquor.
Texture: thick and smooth to start, followed by a delicate astringency that makes it lively and long in the mouth.
Flavours: sweet and slightly acidic.
Aromas: an attack of citrus (orange), with fruit (mango, sweet yellow fruit in syrup), sweet floral (rose, orange blossom), vanilla and butter, brioche, almond, and pronounced planty notes.
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: long coumarin notes and great complexity. Very elegant, with the different fruity, vanilla/butter/brioche, floral, and planty notes. Lingering floral, fresh planty notes with a touch of almond. Presence of stone fruit (fresh apricot). Smooth, with astringent accents.

Our verdict: the second “Clonal Queen” in our selection for 2010. Unlike the DJ34, this fiftieth lot stands out because of its zesty, fruity bouquet, which clearly dominates the planty notes. To remind you, the Puttabong garden uses the term “Clonal Queen” for its highest grade of plucking, composed mainly of leaves from clonal plants. Only a few lots benefit from this distinction out of the hundred or so first flush teas produced by the garden.

DARJEELING PUTTABONG DJ34 «CLONAL QUEEN» SFTGFOP1 - 2010 FIRST FLUSH

Origin: Darjeeling
Tea Estate: Puttabong
Tea colour: black
Length of infusion: 3’30
Water temperature: 85°C

Dry leaves
Aspect: lovely twisted leaves with plenty of silver, downy buds.
Colours: khaki, dark green, silver.
Scents: warm notes of vanilla, toasted bread crust, fruit (preserved citrus), and a few fresh, planty notes.

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Scents: floral (rose, some powdery violet notes), mild sweet notes of vanilla and almond, with a few citrus notes (sweet orange).

Liquor
Colour: a gleaming liquor with a pronounced orange-yellow colour.
Texture: round and smooth in the mouth with a delicate astringency which gives it good body from start to finish.
Flavour: sweet.
Aromas: a sweet attack of butter, vanilla, yellow fruit and floral notes (rose, honeysuckle and violet) combined with citrus notes.
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: very aromatic, full and long in the mouth. Long fresh, planty notes (fresh herbs, artichoke), fresh floral (peony) and almond notes.

Our verdict: At Puttabong, the term “Clonal Queen” denotes the highest grade of plucking, mainly comprising leaves from clonal tea plants. Just a few lots receive this label out of the hundred or so that the estate produces with its first harvest. This year, Le Palais des Thés has once again managed to obtain this exceptional lot thanks to its close relations with the producer. This DJ34 has incredibly rich aromas, with unusually long-lasting qualities across all notes. Brilliant.

DARJEELING GIELLE DJ14 «CLONAL» F.T.G.F.O.P.1 - 2010 FIRST FLUSH

Origin: Darjeeling
Tea Estate: Gielle
Tea colour: black
Length of infusion: 3’30 – 3’45
Water temperature: 85°C

Dry leaves
Aspect: large crumpled leaves with lots of downy buds.
Colours: copper, green and silver.
Scents: rich buttery, toasted, fruity, vanilla and fresh planty notes.

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Scents: round, sweet and mild, with white flower, butter, vanilla, yellow fruit and planty notes.

Liquor
Colour: gleaming golden yellow.
Texture: smooth and full in the mouth.
Flavours: sweet and slightly umami.
Aromas: a sweet, very floral attack (white flowers, rose, lily) followed by citrus, fruit (yellow fruit), sweet vanilla and buttery notes.
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: elegant and long, lively, fruity notes (rose) and fresh planty notes (aniseed).

Our verdict: A sweet, mild tea with well balanced textures and aromas that linger elegantly. A lot to tempt those who are sometimes put off by the astringency and delicate bitterness of first flush Darjeelings.

DARJEELING SINGBULLI DJ11 CHINA CLASSIC SFTGFOP1 - 2010 FIRST FLUSH

Origin: Darjeeling
Tea Estate: Singbulli
Tea colour: black
Length of infusion: 3’45
Water temperature: 90°C

Dry leaves
Aspect: small twisted leaves with plenty of downy silver buds.
Colours: a mixture of black and dark green leaves with a few that are more loosely rolled.
Scents: a very fragrant, rich bouquet, with mild, fresh planty notes (green stems, sap), and a fresh, floral scent, combined with toasted (bread crust), juicy fruit and vanilla notes.

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Colours: mainly green with touches of brown.
Scents: plant, herb and floral (orange blossom) notes to start, combined with sweet fruit notes (yellow fruit).

Liquor
Colour: an orangey liquor that really shines, with coppery glints.
Texture: a delicate astringency, well distributed across the palate, that supports the notes really well.
Flavours: a delicate bitterness that complements the lingering effect of the astringency.
Aromas: Initially both planty and very floral (rose and fresh flowers, honeysuckle). The floral note lingers in the middle, becoming increasingly intense in the mouth.
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: intense right from the start, full in the mouth, and long-lasting. Wonderful lingering quality combining the bitter notes, the lively fragrances (planty: stems and herbs) and the floral bouquet (rose, orange blossom, peony).

Our verdict: Although this comes from China Classic plants, which usually produces teas with almondy qualities, this 11th lot from the Singbulli garden has an impressive floral bouquet, which is wonderfully varied and subtle.

DARJEELING PUTTABONG DJ29 S.F.T.G.F.O.P.1 - 2010 FIRST FLUSH

Origin: Darjeeling
Tea Estate: Puttabong
Tea colour: black
Length of infusion: 3’30
Water temperature: 90°C

Dry leaves
Aspect: small, well rolled leaves.
Colours: brown, copper and green, darker than other first flush Darjeelings in our selection.
Scents: an unusual attack of cooked fruit (rhubarb, jam), cooked vegetables, vanilla and burnt caramel. A few woody notes.

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Colours: dark green and brown.
Scents: floral, citrus, mild vanilla, with a few fresh planty notes (stem, sap). A sweet underlying note of butter and vanilla.

Liquor
Colour: a gleaming liquor, coloured yellow, orange and copper.
Texture: very smooth and full in the mouth, thick and slightly powdery.
Flavour: slightly sweet.
Aromas: a floral, planty attack. Floral (rose, orange blossom), a touch of almond, fruit (citrus, apricot, sweet orange) and planty (stem, sap, raw vegetables). Fresh and stewed fruit. Very harmonious.
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: wonderfully long floral notes followed by planty, almond and herb notes. A fresh finish.

Our verdict: This lot has an unusual bouquet, with some opulent notes that contrast with the normally light, fresh planty character of first flush teas. M. Somani, the grower at Puttabong, takes us on a wonderfully complex aromatic journey, to which he holds the secret.

YUNNAN TIPS

A spectacular plucking of Yunnan, composed almost entirely of very long golden tips. This exceptional tea is to black tea what the Silver Needle is to white tea: an essential for all lovers of fine teas. The infused leaf has a powerful, deep aroma, with almost meaty, truffle-like notes of damp earth and rich foliage. The liquor is dark, almost black, and its full, generous fragrance evokes cocoa.

Undoubtedly the best of the Yunnans.

DARJEELING BALASUN DJ9 S.F.T.G.F.O.P.1 - 2010 FIRST FLUSH

Origin: Darjeeling
Tea Estate: Balasun
Tea colour: black
Length of infusion: 3’30 – 3’45
Water temperature: 85°C

Dry leaves
Aspect: crumpled leaves (gently rolled) with plenty of silver buds.
Colour: dark green with pieces of pale green leaves.
Scents: cooked fruit (jam), toasted bread crust, almonds, nuts, and a few fresh planty notes.

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Scents: planty, intense freshness (herbs), almonds, combined with warmer cooked vegetable, fruit and floral notes.

Liquor
Colour: a gleaming liquor, golden yellow with green highlights.
Texture: a delicate astringency that lines the whole mouth.
Aromas: fresh planty, almond and herb (rosemary) notes with milder fruity, floral (rose) notes.
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: long planty notes (herbs), liquorice (artichoke) and a few floral rose notes, adding a mild sweetness.

Our verdict: This ninth lot from the Balasun garden is fresh and complex. This is a typical Darjeeling with a rich bouquet of planty aromas, and a good length sustained by its delicate astringency. A superb introduction to first flushes.

DARJEELING RISHEEHAT DJ147 «CHINA» SFTGFOP1 – 2009 SECOND FLUSH

Origin: Darjeeling
Tea colour: black
Length of infusion: 4’
Water temperature: 90°C

Dry leaves
Appearance: lovely leaves with plenty of downy buds.
Colour: mixture of brown, copper and khaki, with golden buds.
Scents: vanilla, woody, heady spicy and fruity (cooked fruit).

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Colour: copper and khaki.
Scents: highly fragrant: woody (wax-polished wood), preserved citrus and vanilla.

Liquor
Colour: gleaming, coppery.
Texture: initially supple, then an astringency that lines the whole mouth and adds presence.
Flavour: initially sweet, bitter, slightly acidic.
Aromas: woody, liquorice and spicy (star anise), honey, stewed fruit (eg. grape, mirabelle plum) and vanilla.
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: well balanced, rich and harmonious. Long fresh notes (twigs, fresher fruit) and vanilla notes, thanks to the astringency and slight bitterness.

Our verdict: A truly excellent tea from this year’s harvest! Derived from China plants, this plucking shows all the qualities of the best second flush Darjeelings. The woody, fruity notes are well balanced with a few fruity accents which give it great elegance.

QIMEN IMPERIAL

The finest quality Qimen. This plucking is extremely difficult to obtain as it is one of the rarest and most prized teas of Anhui. Deliberately produced in small quantities, Qimen Imperial is renowned for its unique aroma and malty flavour.

NEPAL KUWAPANI MAKALU « CLONAL » - FIRST FLUSH 2010

Origin: Népal
Tea colour: black
Length of infusion: 5’
Water temperature: 90°C

Dry leaves
Aspect: large twisted leaves with plenty of fat downy buds
Colours: brown, copper, with a few leaves that are still green.
Scents: bread crust, toasted, woody, sweet vanilla notes.

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Scents: spicy (pepper, nutmeg), exotic fruit, planty, camphor notes.

Liquor
Colour: an orangey, coppery liquor
Texture: sweet and supple, combined with a delicate, lingering astringency.
Aromas: a fruity attack (citrus, fresh fruit) followed by spices (pepper, nutmeg, coriander) with floral (freesia) and planty notes (cooked vegetables, stems, artichoke).
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: the peppery note really fills the mouth. It combines with the planty notes. The floral, fruity notes add complexity. Wonderfully long notes.

Our verdict: This is the first Nepalese tea in our selection for spring 2010. It will delight fans of tea from Nepal, with its complex, varied notes (fruits, spices, plants).

NEPAL JUNCHIYABARI HIMALAYAN ORANGE J9 – FIRST FLUSH 2010

Origin: Nepal
Tea colour: black
Length of infusion: 4’
Water temperature: 90°C

Dry leaves
Aspect: gently rolled leaves with plenty of large downy buds.
Colours: hints of dark and light green.
Scents: planty, almond, toasted (bread crust) notes. Pleasant, rich and heady.

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Scents: planty (green pepper, asparagus, green vegetables), with a more fruity note (red fruit) and hints of camphor and nuts.

Liquor
Colour: a gleaming yellow, orangey liquor.
Texture: astringent at the back of the mouth, making this tea strong and long-lasting.
Flavours: slightly bitter.
Aromas: a rich bouquet: planty (raw vegetables) and floral as well as a few almond, aniseed notes.
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: elegant, round and lively. The planty, floral notes develop and become more intense. Very long in the mouth, with a good balance between the texture and the slight bitterness.

Our verdict: A delicious batch coming from an estate we have been working with for five years. The type of tea plants and the hand rolling give this tea its own unique character.

DARJEELING RISHEEHAT DJ15 «CLASSIC» S.F.T.G.F.O.P.1- 2010 FIRST FLUSH

Origin: Darjeeling
Tea Estate: Risheehat
Tea colour: black
Length of infusion: 3’30 – 3’45
Water temperature: 85°C

Dry leaves
Aspect: crumpled leaves (gently rolled) with downy, silver buds.
Colours: dark and pale green.
Scents: zesty, citrus (preserved citrus), cooked fruit and fresh, floral notes combined with toasted (bread crust) and planty aromas.

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Scents: cooked vegetables, zest, citrus, almond, pitted fruits (cherry).

Liquor
Colours: gleaming yellow and deep orange.
Texture: a delicate astringency throughout the mouth, which gives this tea plenty of character and sustains the notes.
Aromas: citrus right from the start. Lemon, orange, sweet floral, almond and fruit (muscat, grape) which linger over a fresh, vegetable note (artichoke, French bean) and a floral scent, followed by herby note.
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: harmonious and lively.

Our verdict: This garden has made its name with pluckings like this, from Chinese tea plants, planted in the 19th century by the British. With this lot, it is the citrus notes that stand out, rich and elegant. A brilliant, classic tea!

YUNNAN D'OR

Golden Yunnan is an exceptional crop of a rare delicacy that Le Palais des Thés experts source directly from the plantations, something which is very difficult in China because the marketing of tea is still very centralized on a regional basis. This is one of the finest, the most delicate and the most subtle of the Yunnan teas.

DARJEELING THURBO DJ29 F.T.G.F.O.P.1 - 2010 FIRST FLUSH

Origin: Darjeeling
Tea Estate: Thurbo
Tea colour: black
Length of infusion: 3’45
Water temperature: 85°C

Dry leaves
Aspect: large twisted leaves with downy buds.
Colours: brown, coppery leaves with some green leaves (more loosely rolled).
Scents: fruity, vanilla, bread crust, toasted aromas, with a few fresh planty and floral (rose) notes.

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Scents: almond (almond milk), planty, fruity (pitted fruits and black fruits), vanilla notes, with a few livelier herbal aromas.

Liquor
Colour: a clear, gleaming coppery yellow liquor.
Texture: thick and round in the mouth. A delicate astringency gives it some strength as well as thickness, and ensures it lingers well.
Flavours: a touch of sugary bitterness that makes the notes linger.
Aromas: a geranium attack. Floral, rose, almond (fresh and green almond), planty (stem, artichoke) notes, combined with fruit (black fruit: blackcurrant, blueberry) and a few toasted aromas (roasted hazelnut, bread crust).
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: plenty of character and lovely long black fruit, citrus (grapefruit), planty, minty, herby notes.

Our verdict: This lot has the typical delicacy of a first flush Darjeeling, yet combined with unusual black fruit notes. This original tea ensures the Thurbo garden stands out among our selections for Spring 2010.

NEW VITHANAKANDE F.B.O.P.F.E.X.S

Origin: Sri Lanka, Ratnapura
Tea colour: black tea
Water temperature: 90°C
Length of infusion: 4’


Dry leaves
Appearance: long, dark and well-rolled leaves that are not broken despite what might be assumed from the grade. Plucking features plenty of buds, somewhere between gold and silver.
Scents: fruity bouquet (ripe apples, strawberry), chocolaty and woody.

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Scents: woody (damp wood) and fruity (apple), note of “wet flowers”.

Liquor
Colour: mahogany, nice and clear liquor.
Texture: slightly oily, with a hint of astringency.
Flavours: slight bitterness.
Aromas: woody and honey notes – typical of low-grown teas – culminating in the distinct presence of an apple note.
Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: initially soft and supple, the notes mainly develop at the mid-point. Long in the mouth, supported by the bitterness.

Our verdict: the F.B.O.P.F.E.X.S from New Vithanakande is one of the best low-grown teas in Sri Lanka. Although it represents only 1% of the garden’s production, this grade’s finesse and aromatic richness have impressed connoisseurs over the last few years.

QIMEN HAO YA

Like Qimen Impérial, this tea grows on the Huang Mountain. It is a high quality crop. The tea has a delicate, slightly chocolaty, taste. A subtle tea for the late afternoon.

DARJEELING TONGSONG BIO F.T.G.F.O.P.1

Origin: Darjeeling, Tongsong
Tea colour: black tea
Length of infusion: 4’
Water temperature: 85°C

Dry leaves
Appearance: with buds.
Colour: very coppery and brown.
Scents: highly fragrant. Strong fruity notes (grapes), woody and zesty aromas.

Brewed leaves (infusion)
Colour: green, copper and brown.
Scents: A fruity attack (grape) with woody notes (twigs) against a vanilla backdrop.

Liquor
Colour: glistening, coppery.
Texture: very supple, then astringent at the back of the mouth, giving lots of lingering character.
Flavour: a very sweet flavour.
Aromas: fruity notes, both cooked fruit and fruit paste (grape, apple), followed by liquorice and woody notes (dried wood) and finally honey.
Aromatic profil and lenght in the mouth: a long liquorice note, followed by cooked fruit.

Our verdict: A really lovely second flush Darjeeling from an estate that is particularly well known for its environmental stance. It has the typical flavours of a summer plucking, with ripe fruit and a complex aroma.

ASSAM MAIJIAN-T.G.F.O.P. SECOND FLUSH

One of the best Assams. With a large leaf and plenty of golden tips, this remarkable tea produces an amber liquor with a rich fragrance. A very fine tea which is flowery in the cup and long in the mouth.