Brewed: Darjeeling Puttabong Clonal Exclusive 1st Flush 2007.

One of the most valuable pieces of advice I’ve picked up about brewing Darjeelings is this: let them steep about 3 minutes, then check them every 30 seconds until they’re ready. Darjeelings have a nasty habit of turning very bitter, very quickly.

But you can also go too far in the opposite direction, as I discovered with this sample of Puttabong Clonal Exclusive 2007 1st flush, graciously sent my way by Jo from Ya-ya Teahouse. Tea needs enough steeping time to develop complexity and body.

This is quite a complex tea – in terms of flavour and in terms of brewing method. Earlier, I had botched the tea by brewing it with freshly boiled water, forgetting Jo’s advice that this tea needs lower temperatures to really come alive. He’s absolutely right. Using water that is too hot nips this tea in the bud (pardon the pun).

With every tea Jo sent me, he recommended using quite a bit more dry leaf than I would generally use. Here, his suggestion was to use 3.5 teaspoons of tea for half a litre of water. I opted for 3 teaspoons with slightly less water.

The composition of this tea is attractive: small and earthy with a nice percentage of white tips. I struggled to identify the aroma – it’s unique and complex, but I couldn’t pinpoint what it reminded me of.

The Dry Leaf: Darjeeling Puttabong Clonal Exclusive 1st Flush 2007.

Using water at around 75° C – I followed Jo’s suggestion more closely this time – I poured the tea at two points: one small cup after 2 minutes and 45 seconds; and another at the recommended 3 and a half minutes.

This was an eye-opener. The first cup was watery, under-developed and lacking. The extra 45 seconds allowed the tea to develop into a full-bodied, complex tea. Lesson learned: allow tea enough time to steep.

Much as I struggled to break down the dry aroma, I had a hard time picking its flavour. It’s a savoury tea, to be sure, though a subtle fruity note becomes more apparent as the tea cools. I also noted tannins, a hint of pepper and a grassy, earthy quality. There was bitterness astringency, but it wasn’t overpowering – yet. I would not let this tea steep for any longer than 3 and a half minutes.

This is a tea that requires quite a bit of brewing finesse. I’m not convinced I perfected it, but I think I got pretty close. Close enough to discover a tea that is rich, complex and unique.

This tea can be purchased through Ya-ya Teahouse for $32.60 NZD.

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Puttabong Clonal Exclusive: Darjeeling 1st Flush 2007 | 2 comments |
Post categories: Black tea, Organic tea, Tea reviews
Post tags: Darjeeling, Indian teas, Puttabong Estate, Ya-ya Teahouse