Puttabong 1st Flush Darjeeling

Steeped this at 90°C for three minutes and the first sip hit with that bright, floral muscatel note I look for in a first flush. The leaves are whole and wiry, and they unfurled beautifully through a second steep without going bitter. Genuinely one of the freshest Darjeelings I've had in a while.

Wasn't expecting much from a first flush this early in the season, but the leaves are whole and wiry and it brews up clean and light. The muscatel thing people talk about is subtle rather than in your face, more like a faint grape skin aftertaste. Second steep at three minutes opened it up even more

The dry leaves smell faintly of muscatel before I even brew them, which was a nice surprise. Liquor came out light and bright, maybe a touch delicate for my usual morning cup, but the second steep opened up nicely.