Description

The CLUBBOX @ Siam Tea Shop

The SiamTeas Club Box is a flexible format for bundling several types of tea in generously proportioned tasting size on a monthly basis at prefential price. At this, the selection of teas compiled in the box can either represent a specific topic, sample the most recent new introductions at Siam Tea Shop or simply offer a random choice of personal favorites of mine.

April 2023 Clubbox @ Siam Tea Shop – Anxi Tie Guan Yin

click picture(s) to enlarge

16th Edition (April ’23) –

“DJ FF BOX” (Darjeeling First Flush Box)

The 16th edition – April 2023 – is a Darjeeling First Flush Box (“DJ FF BOX”). As such, it offers 15g of spring-picked tea from 5 different tea gardens in Darjeeling. At this, the selection of the tea gardens represented in the box are according to availability. This means that always first-flush teas from those 5 Darjeeeling tea gardens go into the box whose current FF’s are in stock. As for which ones these are is an information that the shop’s dedicated category page will reveal at any given time:

https://www.siam-teas.com/product-category/tea-from-india/first-flush/

If more than 5 first flushes are available, I will make a choice. If there are fewer, the missing variety is replaced by the first flush of an Assam or Nepal garden.

At the launch of the box, current first flushes from the following tea gardens are contained in the box:

1. Jungpana

2. Giddapahar

3. Goomtee

4.  Margret´s Hope

5. Ringtong

The Indian First Flush Season

We might know the term “First Flush” from India only. However, there are “first flushes” – first spring pickings – elsewhere, too. Much rather, the first pickings after the winter break enjoy specialty status in all tea growing regions of the world. The main reason for this is the particular, taste-relevant pattern of active substances in the tea leaf after the “winter break”. For once, picking stops for several months during the cold season in all major tea cultivation countries. But it is not only the picking break that brings the tea plants relief. What adds is that the cool climate soothes the plants and promotes the accumulation of active substances. This applies especially in combination with high humidity and/or fog. In spring then, with rising temperatures and days getting longer, the plant drives these active substances into the young leaves and buds. And this is something… you can taste!

For more teas from Darjeeling and other tea growing areas of India, follow the link below:

Tea from  India @ Siam Tea Shop

In regard to the topic of Darjeeling tea, the following read is also recommendable:

Tea from Darjeeling – Between Colonail Roots and New Identity