Organic Darjeeling
Chai
First Flush

Name: Chai Organic Bannockburn Darjeeling First Flush
SKU: 4790-bio
Price: 14.90 EUR
Availability: InStock

Super Premium 95 P.

SKU

4790-bio

Chai Organic Bannockburn Darjeeling First Flush

Organic green first flush Darjeeling made from the first harvest of the renowned Bannockburn Estate and blended with chai spices from northern India. Made with the top cultivar TV17. Lightly and gently oxidised. Organic cultivation. 80g

Green Darjeeling with northern Indian Masala
Cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, laurel, black pepper

Character	Elegant, gentle, finely balanced spices, discernible clove undertones, gingerbread
Tea Estate	Bannockburn Estate
Terroir	Darjeeling East, India
Harvest	First flush, March 2023, hand-harvested
Leaf	SFTGFOP1: Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe
Cultivar	TV17 (Assam variety)
Elevation	900-1,300m above sea level
Oxidation/Fermentation	Lightly oxidised. Delicate buds and leaves, hand-picked and selected in the morning. Long and natural withering process followed by rolling. Brief, controlled oxidation for development of a fine aroma. Gentle drying.
Processing Method	Orthodox
Drying	Oven drying at 115°C for 21min
Organic Cert.	EU certified organic
Grade	95/100 p. (Darjeeling category); Super Premium

In stock

Bannockburn Estate

As one of the first tea gardens in the region, the Bannockburn Estate was founded in the 1850s shortly after the first Chinese tea plants (Camellia sinensis) were cultivated in Darjeeling. The estate is named after the decisive battle in the First War of Scottish Independence in which Robert the Bruce defeated King Edward II of England in 1314. With this name, the original Scottish planters from a hamlet near Glasgow brought a bit of Scottish history to India, and the current managers of the tea garden have chosen to retain this historic name.

Flavour

An elegant and gentle masala chai. The spice blend is finely balanced with an emphasis on cloves. This tea is ideal with milk which allows a wonderful gingerbread aroma to develop.

Leaf

SFTGFOP1

Cup

Light yellow

Black tea is the most oxidised form of tea. In contrast to green tea, the oxidation of the leaves after harvest and withering is not stopped with heat, but rather further facilitated by intensive rolling of the leaves, which breaks open cell walls and exposes the enzymes responsible for oxidation. Over the course of this process the leaves change from green to black and a full-bodied and broad aroma develops. The cup is often orange or red, which is where the Chinese name for this tea (hong cha, meaning "red tea") comes from.

We go to great lengths to identify the finest organic tea farms across the world’s most celebrated terroirs. All our teas are sourced directly from the farmer and, with a few exceptions, are certified organic or come from pesticide-free farms. Each batch of tea for every harvest is tested for pesticides and other pollutants in an independent German lab to ensure they meet our strict quality standards as well as HACCP food safety requirements.

Premium Organic Teas

Our comprehensive portfolio focuses on organic, single-origin teas sourced directly from renowned farms. We believe in creating partnerships with farmers who share our values and are committed to sustainable, responsible tea cultivation. Thanks to these strong relationships our exciting range is constantly growing and evolving. As an international team of dedicated and passionate tea experts, we are committed to preserving centuries-old tea culture while ensuring it remains relevant and continues to bring joy in the present. About Yoshi En.

Cultivation & Processing

The Bannockburn Estate is located just a few kilometres east of the city of Darjeeling and includes the tea fields, a forest, the workers' village, and a tea factory. The estate employs roughly 500 workers and produces 90,000kg tea a year. The tea is certified organic.

The fresh tea leaves of the spring first flush have a high moisture degree of 75% that evaporates during the strictly monitored withering process when air is blown between the leaves. The tea is machine-rolled to open up the leaves, expose the leaf juices, and thus facilitate fermentation. The tea is fermented for a relatively short time, under constant supervision to ensure the full development of the flavour bouquet, which is delicate and floral. In the last stage the tea is fully dried in an oven for 23 minutes and hand-packed into tea crates.

Single Origin

This tea is exclusively sourced from the above mentioned tea farm in Darjeeling, India. Sourced directly from the tea estate.

Organic Certification

Preparation

Brewing Guide

2 heaped tsp per 200-300ml (70-80°C) water. Steep for 2-3 minutes.

Packaging

High quality, airtight, resealable standing zipper pouch with 9 protective layers to preserve flavour and protect against oxidation and contamination.

Recommended Teapot

The ideal teapot for Darjeeling is a porcelain teapot.

Recommended Storage

Ideally store in an airtight, double-coated metal tin.

Test results

We find it very important that our teas are pure and produced in a way that respects the environment. For this reason, each one of our teas is tested for pesticide residues by an independent laboratory, the results of which can be found here. Some of our teas are also tested for specific nutritional compounds, in which case the test results are also published here.

Confirmation of analysis

See tests

Organic Darjeeling
Chai
First Flush