Balasun Tea Estate sits in the Darjeeling hills, named for the river that runs through the property and feeds the soil the bushes grow in. It dates to 1871, founded by British planters during the colonial era, and has stayed a source of the region's second flush teas ever since. This FTGFOP1 grade — Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe — marks it out as a top-tier pluck from the estate.
The character here is classic Darjeeling muscatel: floral on the first sip, giving way to fruit and orange notes through the middle, with honey and a touch of spice trailing into the finish. The body is smooth and fairly thick for a Darjeeling, and the liquor pours a warm amber. It reads as bright and crisp early on, then settles into something sweeter and rounder as it cools.
Steep it at 90°C for about five minutes to draw out that fuller profile — Darjeelings lose their nuance fast in water that's too hot, so let the kettle cool slightly off the boil rather than pouring straight from it. Rinsing the pot or cup with warm water first helps hold a steady steeping temperature. A shorter steep gives a lighter, more floral cup; pushing closer to five minutes brings out more of the fruit and spice.
It suits a mid-morning or afternoon slot better than a jolt-you-awake breakfast tea, and it's worth drinking without milk or sugar the first time through, since the muscatel character is easy to mask. Light snacks — biscuits, scones — sit well alongside it without competing with the flavour.
