Mim's amber-cupping is what pulls people back to it: pour a cup of this Darjeeling second flush and the first thing you notice is the muscatel, that rich, almost wine-like flavour with ripe fruit underneath and a sweet edge. Woody and floral notes follow, and the finish carries a light astringency that cleans the palate without turning harsh. The mouthfeel sits medium-bodied and smooth, closer to creamy than thin, and the aroma leans honeyed with fruit and flower notes that set up the sip well. Expect a touch of orange and a champagne-like brightness alongside the muscatel, plus a cream note that softens the whole cup.
TGFOP1 — Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe 1 — marks this as a top grade: finely rolled leaves with golden tips, hand-plucked and sorted for quality. It comes from the Mim Tea Estate in Darjeeling, a garden established in the 1860s during the British colonial era and one of the oldest in the region, sitting on hills between roughly 2,000 and 6,000 feet. That elevation and climate are part of why Darjeeling earned its reputation as the "Champagne of Teas," and Mim in particular is known for the muscatel character that shows up in its second flush harvests. The estate combines traditional plucking and processing with more sustainable, often organic, growing practices, and Tea & Coffee sources this lot directly from it.
To brew it, use about 2 grams of leaf — roughly a teaspoon — per 8 ounces of water heated to 90°C (194°F), well short of a full boil, which would scorch the leaf and dull the flavour. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes depending on how strong you like it, then strain promptly; leaving the leaves in past that point brings out bitterness rather than more character. Purists drink Darjeeling like this without milk or sugar, since both flatten the muscatel and floral notes that make the tea worth seeking out. It carries a moderate amount of caffeine, enough for a noticeable lift without the jitteriness of a stronger black tea, which makes it as suited to a mid-afternoon cup as to a morning one. Kept in an airtight container away from light, moisture and strong odours, it holds its character well over time.
