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Teas Included : Darjeeling Winter Delight Black Tea, Donyi Polo Autumnal Special Black Tea, Meghalaya Autumnal Surprise Black Tea, Darjeeling Autumnal Wonder Black Tea
Teas Included : Darjeeling Winter Delight Black Tea, Donyi Polo Autumnal Special Black Tea, Meghalaya Autumnal Surprise Black Tea, Darjeeling Autumnal Wonder Black Tea
Happy New Year! This January, we are excited to feature three plus one bonus, high withered autumnal black teas that we just got back from our recent trip to India.
So, why is withering important? After the tea leaves are plucked, withering is the first step in tea processing, where the leaves lose moisture and become soft and pliable. This process triggers chemical changes that influence the aroma, flavor, and overall quality of the tea. High-withered teas undergo a longer withering period, resulting in more floral, fruity, and vegetal notes. While they can be compared to first flush Darjeeling, these autumnal high-withered black teas have a creamier, fuller body and less briskness due to their lower polyphenol content. A prolonged withering process plays a crucial role in developing the complexity and aromatic profile of these exceptional teas.
Crafted from the B-157 cultivar in late November, a hardy variety that thrives in the winter chill. This elegant black tea offers delicate floral notes of lilacs, complemented by wildflower honey sweetness and buttery richness. Hints of forest drizzle add to its layered complexity.
Steeping Instructions:
185°F | 5g | 4-5 oz water | 45s, 45s, 45s
Harvested in late November, this rare micro-micro--lot (we just received 200g) offers a unique experience. It opens with sweet, umami flavors reminiscent of Tieguanyin, with beautiful floral notes interwoven with the scent of rain-drenched moss, wet leaves, and a touch of freshly baked raisin bread.
Steeping Instructions:
185°F | 5g | 4-5 oz water | 40s, 35s, 50s
Harvested in early November from the AV2 cultivar, this absolutely gorgeous tea features creamy buds and olive-green, brownish whole leaves. The first steep delivers sugarcane sweetness with floral, creamy, and vegetal notes—lemon balm, lemon curd, and daisies—wrapped in a sweet perfume. The second steep becomes even more floral, reminiscent of wildflowers like azaleas, yellow roses, and daisies, with a citrus undertone and less creaminess. The third steep deepens with a woody note, like tree bark.
Steeping Instructions:
185°F | 5g | 4-5 oz water | 45s-1m, 50s-1m, 45-50s
Sourced during our trip to Darjeeling from Allan and Yanki, this high-withered AV2 black tea made in mid November. Rich, with a creamy mouthfeel, expect notes of wildflower honey, delicate florals, white grapes, nectarine, and a subtle undertone with fresh bark.
Steeping Instructions:
180°F | 5g | 4-5 oz water | 45s, 25-30s, 20s
Withering is the first step in tea processing, where freshly plucked tea leaves lose moisture, thereby becoming soft and pliable. Withering can take place outdoors or indoors or a combination of both, and this process triggers important chemical changes that influence the tea's aroma, flavor, and overall quality. High withered teas, in simple terms, are teas that have been withered for a longer period than usual. These teas are more aromatic and boast complex floral, fruity, and vegetal notes.
First flush Darjeeling teas are typically high withered, while second flush Darjeeling teas undergo a normal withering process, while autumnal flush Darjeeling teas can be made either way. These autumnal teas have also undergone a high withering process, making them similar to first flush Darjeeling teas. They feature a lovely sweetness, a profusion of perfume, and superb floral, fruity, and vegetal notes. However, compared to first flush Darjeeling, these high withered autumnal teas have a bolder, creamier, and fuller body, lacking the brisk freshness typical of first flush teas. This reduced briskness is due to a lower polyphenol content in autumnal flush Darjeeling teas, as opposed to the higher levels found in first flush teas, which develop after a prolonged winter and slower growth of the tea plants.
Aspect |
High-Withered Teas |
Normal-Withered Teas |
Moisture Loss |
Higher moisture reduction (60-70%) |
Moderate moisture reduction (55-60%) |
Aroma & Flavor |
More floral, fruity, and complex notes |
Stronger, bolder, brisk flavors |
Amino Acid Retention |
Higher due to slower moisture loss |
Slightly lower amino acid retention |
Polyphenol Oxidation |
Slower, allowing nuanced oxidation |
Faster, leading to more oxidation |
Leaf Appearance |
Lighter, more delicate leaves |
Darker, more robust leaves |
Processing Time |
Longer withering duration |
Shorter withering duration |
Common Tea Types |
Darjeeling first flush, specialty black teas |
Assam, Darjeeling second flush |
During withering, several factors need to be carefully controlled to achieve the desired chemical transformations and final tea quality: