2025 Snow View Darjeeling First Flush Tea

Snow View sits between Bhutan's mountains and the flat Himalayan plains, named for the snowcapped peaks that show up on clear days from the garden itself. The estate dates back to 1870 and covers 600 hectares at 1,000 metres, bordered by three forest reserves — Gorumara, Jaldapara, and Chapramari — with the Murti river running along its lower edge. Elephants pass through on their way to the river, alongside bison, leopards, rhinos, deer, and wild boar. The garden works with The Wildlife Enterprise on elephant conservation and in 2020 became the first in Darjeeling to earn Elephant Friendly Tea Garden certification. Around 700 workers and their families live and work there. This first flush was plucked on 25th March 2025 and processed the following day, giving it the bright, early-spring character typical of the flush. The liquor pours a clear orange and the tasting notes lean citrus and light forest floor, with a smooth, easy finish rather than anything heavy or tannic. It drinks as a clean, uncomplicated cup — the kind of first flush suited to a morning where you want brightness without bitterness. For brewing, start with fresh, filtered water and heat it to around 85°C rather than a full boil, which keeps the delicate character intact. Use about a teaspoon of leaf per 240ml cup and steep for two to three minutes; if you want a stronger cup, add more leaf rather than extending the steep, since over-steeping first flush tends to pull out bitterness instead of depth. Strain fully before drinking so the leaves stop infusing. Tea & Coffee packed this batch, and being a limited first-flush lot, quantities are tied to that single spring pluck rather than an ongoing harvest.