The Jungpana Tea Estate is situated near the famous town of Darjeeling. The tea gardens have an excellent location and altitude; they lie at 3,000 – 4500 ft and are blessed with a nurturing south-facing orientation. The exceptional quality of tea produced at this estate is derived almost exclusively from China jat – leaf plucked from China tea bush varietals. The distinctive flavor components of this leaf will stimulate the palate and refresh the taste buds. Fresh, lively and pure – glorious Darjeeling tea flavor is featured once again in this 2021 harvest.
Tea Trekker’s selection of 1st Flush tea from Jungpana Tea Estate for 2021 was simple to make, because their tea is so delicious this year! However, we selected a lot that we particularly like and offer it to you for your enjoyment too. There is a soothing mellowness to this tea this year, and that seems a good thing after the frantic years leading up to, and including, 2020. The color of the liquor and this tea’s overall style is completely positive.
What is noticeably distinctive about the early Darjeeling 1st Flush teas in general this year are the full body and richly-flavored quality. It is a good year in general and certainly the teas have great flavor components and taste. The weather during the late winter lead-in to the flush seasons was more ‘normal’ than it has been in recent memory, with plentiful rainfall just in time for the buds and subsequent leaf to plump up and develop a more mature flavor than is typical for a 1st Flush, and, in many instances, the 2021 early teas have a pronounced quality and deep, concentrated flavor. They are, in general, right on the flavor line at which crisp meets muscatel; and we think that is a great position for a high quality Darjeeling!
This year’s 2021 1st Flush tea from Jungpana Tea Estate is a connoisseurs’ treat: classic ‘biscuit’ flavor accented with several light influences of traditional ‘tea’ flavor profiles: significant elements of stone fruit aroma and flavor, and the ever-so-slight aroma that one picks up from the earth when walking at a wood’s edge after a brief shower.
The dry leaf shows a dark coloration with an abundance of tip and open spiral leaf.
There is very-little-to-no green leaf, and the extremely early-season-warming this year contributed a less astringent and assertive style in the cup. The leaf is not finicky – it can be steeped longer than most Darjeeling teas and retain a clear, pure flavor profile.
This tea will accept dairy and/or sweetener, but we prefer it plain, so that all the nuance of the complex flavors can dance on the palate.
The aroma is clean and light but very intriguing and encourages further exploration. You will find that the aroma is in perfect proportion to the flavor, so they work in tandem to provide a wonderful, complete flavor package.
This tea has a wonderful concentration of flavor that belies its initial sense of lightness. Use plenty of leaf because it is bulky due to its open style. Let it steep long – it will not challenge you, but reward you with incredible flavor and depth.
If you are looking for a classic, organically-produced 1st Flush Darjeeling tea from an esteemed garden, this is your tea!
To consistently produce some of the finest Darjeeling in the world for over a century, the management at Jungpana plucks only the most delicate leaves. They have mastered the intricacies of manufacture, and have premium quality as their priority. The Jungpana Estate was planted by the British, then owned initially by the Scotland-based Duncan Brothers. Later, it was owned by the Ranas of Nepal and thereafter has been with the Kejriwal family for more than five decades.
Protected Origin Status Granted to Darjeeling Tea