Two Spoons – Darjeeling First Flush
Today’s Tea Review is Two Spoons Darjeeling First Flush and – I warn you now – I’m still a bit giddy from the experience.
Since outing myself as a tea fancier to my friends and acquaintances, I’ve been asked a few times now what my favourite tea variety is. I’ve never known what to answer because so many different teas made me happy.
But, you know, I believe I do have a favourite type of tea. I just didn’t know it before today, because this is only the second time I’ve had it. Last year, I ordered – fresh from the tea plantation – Teabox’s Badamtam Moonlight First Flush. It was so good that I compared it to heroin. Or rather, having never actually tried heroin, I compared it to Renton’s description of heroin in Trainspotting.
Bizarrely, until today, that was my own experience of first flush Darjeeling. Why I didn’t resolve there and then to source first flush Darjeeling every spring, I have no idea. I’m a bit dim sometimes.
I didn’t even order this Darjeeling. The lovely gentleman at Two Spoons sent it to me as a freebie when I ordered some other teas. My reviews of Two Spoons Bungalow, Bucks and Ceylon tea blends will have to wait. On the packet, it said that this tea was “grown about a week ago” so it seemed rude to delay trying it.
And oh god, I had the most enjoyable morning because of that decision. Honestly, this is the most fun it’s possible for one woman and a teapot to have.
This tea is brisk and light and very, very spring-y. It’s difficult to describe the flavour of teas without invoking other things. I could say that this tea tastes like lychees and caramel and Harvey’s Bristol Cream and that would be true. But it feels like it is doing it a disservice. Because what this tea tastes like is tea. In its best, purest and most utterly delicious form.
I am loath to describe anything as “better than sex”. When other people declare that their lemon cheesecake recipe or hot stone massage is better than sex, I worry that their needs aren’t being met in the bedroom.
However, with Two Spoons Darjeeling First Flush, I believe this is an entirely accurate description.
Now when anyone asks me what my favourite tea is, I shall say “Darjeeling first flush in the spring time. Have you tried Two Spoons version? it’s incredible.”
Today’s featured book is Darjeeling: A History of the World’s Greatest Tea by Jeff Koehler.
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