Tea review to come later today!……………OK, I’m a week late on this one, but better late than never! There is a light dry leaf aroma for this tea, and the leaves are larger than other FF Darjeelings I’ve tried. Pretty multi-hued, white tipped leaves, that really become noticeable when wet. Nice fruity, sweet aromas come through here.
Steeped for 3.5 minutes, the aromas and flavors are light and fruity sweet, with a light orange cup color. Use slightly more leaf for fuller flavor. Although this is a lighter cup, the experience is quite enjoyable. There was no noticeable astringency, which struck me as unusual for a First Flush Darjeeling. It really is a nice, smooth cup and a good change of pace.
My second cup was steeped using slightly more leaf (approx. 1 1/2 tsp), with boiling water for 4.5 minutes. Still lighter in flavor and aromatics when compared to other FF Darjeelings, the cup was a deeper orange, with more sweetness and fruity notes on the palate. There was also mild astringency in the second cup.
This Darjeeling is a great tea. While I typically like a little more astringency, the more astringent Darjeelings can easily become bitter if you are not careful. This Puttabong is a little more forgiving, and is at best (or worst) only mildly astringent. I believe this is due to the larger, tippy leaves. A top notch, refined Darjeeling that is smooth and delicious, and a worthy tea for everyone-not just Queens, or Kings for that matter. :))
Cupped & Reviewed: Saturday, January 7, 2012.
Finally finished my stash of this FF Puttabong Queen yesterday and today. Its gentle and fruity nature will be missed, but it sure is a great way to end the month of May. :))