SUNGMA SFTGFOP1 CHINA FLOWERY DJ 1 Organic FF 2012

Tea type
Black Tea
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Edit tea info Last updated by ScottTeaMan
Average preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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From Thunderbolt Tea

Established in the 1860s, Sungma Tea Estate exchanged several hands in the past until it was acquired by Jayshree Tea & Industries Ltd in 1993. It is one amongst the highest elevation Darjeeling Tea gardens situated in the Rungbong valley in close vicinity to Pokhriabong and Sukhiapokri villages. Sukhiapokhri and allied areas are well known to be always covered in mist and fog which is so much needed for the Darjeeling character to be prominent in a tea. It is purely an organic tea estate producing excellent Darjeeling Teas every season.

This Darjeeling First Flush 2012 tea, “Sungma SFTGFOP1 China Flowery”, is one which won our hearts from several tea samples that we tasted. Its a tea made from first round of tender tea leaves, carefully and tenderly plucked. Thanks to all those hard working women tea pickers who put their extra cautiousness in plucking this tea. A special care has been taken in the processing in order to maintain both its appearance and character in the cup.

Sungma SFTGFOP1 China Flowery Dry Tea Leaves:

A classic graded First Flush Darjeeling Tea made from pure china tea bushes, Sungma SFTGFOP1 China Flowery, has the most attractive appearance pertaining to its grade. Mostly china tea varieties are smaller and shorter, but this tea has gone that extra care in maintaining its overall bloom. It has an overall greenish appearance with a marvelous blend of dark-bottle green and light green tea leaves. The tea leaves appear bright due to its silver fibers on almost all of the tea leaves. The tea leaves are well rolled and twisted, and undergone fine sorting. It appears somewhat wiry and elongated due to its cylindrical twists. It has a very fresh and sweet aroma which accompanies a warm feeling. It also has some mild sense of somewhat which resembles white chocolate. It has a complex set of underlying tones of fruity and flowery character. Mild spice like character can be observed as well.

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2 Tasting Notes

96
111 tasting notes

As you can see by the picture the leaves are well varigated multi-green and medium brown leaves, with a nice amount of white tips that are well twisted. The dry aroma is very fresh & sweet, smelling mostly like white chocolate, with mild spice note, & even more mild fruit aromas.

Steeping aromas were fruity & nut-like [akin to almonds] with a sweetness I attribute to white chocolate. Wet leaves themselves are mostly green shades, with lighter white tipped & light brown colors. As far as wet leaf aromas, there is a combination of light fruits & flowers, lightly minty and spicey [light peppery notes]. The leaves are large and well shaped for a FF Darjeeling.

The cup is a light yellow-orange color with rather mild aromas. So fresh & sweet, it smells lightly vegetal and nutty at the same time. The flavors on my palate are slightly deeper & still mild, with a vegetal quality and mild almonds. I cannot place the fruits that present themseves on my palate. I get frustrated sometimes when I’m at a loss of words. :// There is also a gentle spiciness and flowery quality on the back of my tongue. The elusive flowery bouquet is fresh and light-much like a distant flower garden ready to be enjoyed.

From start to finish this Sungma Darjeeling is great, & one of the best I’ve had the pleasure to drink! :)) There is also little to no astringency on my palate at 3:15. Sometimes, when a tea like this frustrates me, it is only because it is truly great. It is the beauty of the tea & the experience, that words cannot describe. I’ve accepted that and done my best, but sometimes words and descriptions cannot fully explain true beauty-even if you can reach out & touch it, or in this case taste it! :D

Cupped & Reviewed: Thursday, July 12, 2012.
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UPDATED REVIEW

I decided to add roughly 1 tsp to previously steeped leaves, and it was a completely different and delicious cup of tea. :)) [3:00 minutes at 195-200F]. While the tea was steeping, the liqour was sweeter, & also more fruity & nutty. In addition, the wet leaves had greater fruity, minty & vegetal qualities.

The cup color was still a translucent medium orange, with aromatics such as a heartier buttery sweetness, an enhanced almond scent, & more pronounced fruits. The flavors tasted were also deeper: fruits, nuts, butter & the spicy character. All of these flavors played on my palate, with a noticeable, pleasantly mild astringency. :)) Although not the case with this exemplary tea, when I prepare a second cup by adding leaves as noted above, sometimes the astringency can be a bit too much-even for me. :))

Each cup was delicious, with the first cup being more mild and elusive. The second cup was still mild, while being a little more savory, & I did enjoy the temperate, palate pleasing astringency. :))

Cupped: Thursday, July 12, 2012. Updated Review: Friday, July, 13, 2012.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 15 sec
Bonnie

Too true words are hard to describe sometimes but we try anyway! You did a fine job!

Scatterbrain

Sounds fantastic. I need to start exploring Darjeelings. I’m sure it would be hard, but if you could pick one first-flush Darjeeling as the best you’ve tasted what would it be (from this year)?

ScottTeaMan

These two are from 2012 & are my favorites recently, & quite possibly the two best maybe ever. Although it’s hard to pick, because I’ve tasted so many good ones. I think these two would be good FF Darjeelings for people new to them because of their minimal astringency:

TD67: Risheehat Estate 1st Fl. Darjeeling SFTGFOP1 -Upton Tea Imports

TURZUM SFTGFOP1 CLONAL DELIGHT DJ 1 FF Organic Darjeeling 2012 by Thunderbolt Tea

They’re quite pricey though.

ScottTeaMan

Updated this review for anyone who cares to read it. :))

Indigobloom

oh my that sounds incredible. The astringency is one thing that bugs me about Darjeeling. Yummm!

ScottTeaMan

It’s really great, but it should be at $31/100g.

Lucy

Whoa this sounds amazing! So many delicious flavours coming from this Darj it sounds like. I will have to check it out! =) Great descriptions

ScottTeaMan

Thanks!! I do my best while decribing teas, but sometimes it’s hard to classify a certain nuance of a tea.

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90
348 tasting notes

The Darjeeling kick continues. This time, I had my second 2012 from the Sungma estate. Loved their other first flush I had, and this one was almost just as great. It didn’t taste like an OP at all. It was so fresh-seeming, it came across more like a Darjeeling green tea than a black. Spicy as all heck, though, which I like from a good first flush.

I brewed a pot of this, and practically forgot about the last (over-)steep. It tasted like grapefruit. That’s okay, I like grapefruit. I liked this. Eh, ’nuff said. Good way to start (late) on a Saturday.

Full review: Pending on www.teaviews.com

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 2 min, 30 sec

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