Of all the Darjeeling first flush teas we have tried, this rare tea from the garden Giddapahar came closest to the much loved Thurbo Moonlight that we last had in 2022 and has been much missed by customers ever since!
Darjeeling 1. Flush Giddapahar Clonal Delight DJ09/26 is our first direct import from Darjeeling this year!
Of all the first flush teas we have tried, this one came closest to the much loved Thurbo Moonlight that we last had in 2022 and has been much missed by customers ever since!
The leaves used to make this batch of very rare First Flush Giddapahar Clonal Delight tea come from Ambari Vegetative 2 (“AV2”) clonal plants grown at an elevation of 2000 meters above sea level. Clonal teas made from the AV2 are often bold, immediate, and highly expressive of the modern day signature Darjeeling first flush character. In contrast, teas made from pure China plants demand patience and much skill to coax out the subtle layers and arrive at the right balance of flavour and bite.
This year’s Darjeeling First Flush Giddapahar Clonal Delight walks a careful line between the two types of plant: aromatic and vivid, yet not overwhelming. It has delicate floral notes, a very light astringency, and a crystalline clarity that lingers on the tongue.
Rich in flavour with a lovely translucent cup, the dry leaf of this tea has an overall white-greenish appearance with fine silver fibres on almost all of the leaves. Skilfully rolled and twisted the appearance is wiry and elongated with cylindrical twirls. Once the tea is brewed it reveals a bright golden-yellow brew with a rich mellow liquor. Smooth on the first sip, as you roll it around your mouth various levels of complex fruity and floral notes come to the fore. As the tea cools it tastes sweeter with light fruity notes.
Made in very small batches, we were lucky enough to get some of this tea flown in directly from Darjeeling. If you are familiar with first flush Darjeeling but have not yet tried an exceptional one from the very early days of the harvest we urge you to try this one and prepare to be surprised.
Tip: If reading about this tea and the different types of plants used to make Darjeeling first flush teas, try the other two we imported directly this year: Jungpana Diamond FTGFOPI, DJ10 2026 and Margaret’s Hope FTGFOP1 Ch DJ6/26.
Black tea
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