Tea:

Region:

Darjeeling

Grade:   

STGFOP (Silver tippy flowery Orange Pekoe)

Manufacture Type:  

Orthodox

Cup Characteristics:

A delicate extraordinary flavorful and very refined Darjeeling. The cup is so good it almost has a natural sweetness combined with a rarefied muscatel character.

Infusion:  

Bright and light

Information:

Every now and then -about once or twice a year Lingia produces some simply outstanding tea; both from leaf appearance and cup qualities. In the case of this particular tea -150 kilos were produced and the sale of this quantity went as follows:

· 50 Kilos purchased by The Metropolitan Tea Company

· 25 Kilos purchased by a major multinational for ‘Directors presents’

· 75 Kilos purchased by the leading specialty tea importer in Japan.

This tea was manufactured on June 15th -the peak of the annual second flush period. This tea is RARE and OUTSTANDING.

Lingia is one of the premiere Darjeeling tea estates of India. Some of the reasons for this are as follows:

1. 90% of the bushes which provide the green leaf to the factory are from the China genus, which provides a distinctive character when grown in the Darjeeling area. The balance 10% of the green leaf is the Assam genus which provides tea of a slightly more fully bodied character and in the right proportion with China genus tea produce outstanding specialty teas.

2. The altitude of this estate is very high creating conditions for excellent quality.

The are 3 main times of year for producing good quality Darjeelings:

1st flush - Springtime harvested teas from late Feb. to mid April. The young leaves yield a light tea with generally intense muscatel with ‘point’. A gentle afternoon tea.

2nd flush - Harvested in June, these teas are more fully developed. The liquor is bright and the taste full and round excellent muscatel. An superb afternoon tea that is especially good with scones and raspberry conserve.

Autumnal - Not always available depending upon the weather, they are typified by a round taste and coppery liquor. Excellent as a breakfast tea with milk.

Brewing Instructions:

Hot Tea Brewing Method: This tea is best enjoyed using 2-3 heaping teaspoons for a 6 cup teapot. Allow the tea to steep for 3-5 minutes, remove the leaves and pour. We do not recommend adding milk or sugar since this can mask some of the intrigue and subtle nuances of this vintage tea.
 

Iced Tea Brewing Method: (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 5 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water].