We managed to buy some great teas, which were produced in Darjeeling before the gardens closed in March this year. Until March 24, when a “lockdown” occurred across India, only a very small amount of tea was harvested.
First Flush Darjeeling 2020
2020 First Flush Darjeeling
Pandemic versus hopeful tea season
The weather was good for growers this year, so a very good harvest was expected. Unfortunately, as soon as it started, it also ended thanks to a worldwide pandemic. We bought two teas before that, luckily.
Millikthong also arrived in March. Namring Upper remained imprisoned in Calcutta and arrived only now. Most of the other teas from the early stages of harvesting have been reserved and their prices have doubled. Even so, thanks to good contacts, we managed to buy three beautiful teas from the first days of collection. Beautiful pieces from the gardens of Goomtee, Avongrove and Giddapahar.
First Flush 2020
Postcovid Flush
One tea from the period after the opening on April 20 also appeared on the menu. The gardens were advised to prune overgrown tea trees and not to process leaves that were already too large. They mostly ended up on compost. A few weeks after this pruning, the shrubs have grown again. The original term “Postcovid Flush” was used for tea from this period.
Our „postcovid“ tea comes from Orange Valley Tea Estate.
Work after reopening – Namring Tea Estate
