The Harvest Calendar
Four flushes,
four temperaments.
A Darjeeling year unfolds in four seasons. Each flush — a single pluck-window — yields a tea of entirely different character: the bright lift of spring, the honeyed depth of summer, the bold body of the rains, and the mellow close of autumn.
First Flush
Spring
The season's first pluck, as the gardens wake from winter. Delicate, floral and bright with a pale champagne liquor — the freshest expression of the leaf, and the most fleeting. The window lasts weeks, not months; when it closes, that spring is gone until next year.
From this window — Spring Chinary · Spring Clonal · Spring Moonshine · White Wonder
Second Flush
Summer
The celebrated summer harvest. Fuller leaf and stronger sun give body, layered fruit and the muscatel character for which Darjeeling is famous worldwide — a deep amber cup with ripe stone fruit and honey. If Darjeeling has a signature season, this is it.
From this window — Summer Muscatel · Summer Chinary · Moonlight White
Monsoon Flush
Monsoon
The rain-season harvest. Long wet growth yields a robust leaf and a bold, earthy, full-bodied cup — often overlooked beside its famous neighbours, and deeply appreciated by those who find it. A strong morning tea, and the base of a proper milk pour.
From this window — Darjeeling Green
Autumn Flush
Autumn
The year's mellow close, plucked in the clear air after the rains withdraw. Smooth, coppery and rounded, with a gentle warmth that lingers on the palate — the least hurried of the four, and the gentlest company at the end of a day.
From this window — Autumn Chinary