Hello Tea Friends!

I’m playing catch up and this is my last tea I was delayed with.

What was for day 16?

Giddapahar Imperial Muscatel Second Flush 2018

As characteristic for the estate’s teas, Giddapahar Imperial Muscatel Second Flush 2018 pleases the palate with downright sublime harmony and balance. This translates to a particularly round and soft mouthfeel that covers one’s gums like a velvety clove, making Giddapahar’s second flush 2018 a tea for almost any occasion… And a second flush that for friends of black teas from Darjeeling’s summer picking leaves nothing to wish for.

I received the 2017 crop of this tea for day 10. That review can be found here.

It will be interesting to see how this tea differs, if at all, to the previous years flush. A cup of Darjeeling will go down nicely while I watch Love Actually. Tis almost Christmas after all.

In appearance you see the beautiful, Autumnal shades of brown and gold in small, roughly chopped leaves. They bare a sweet, wooden, musky scent. Not very strong in it’s raw state.

Steeping Parameters: 5g leaf, 200ml, 95C water

No milk or sweetener was added.

First Steep: 3 minutes 

Once steeped the resulting liquid is brown with a red hue and a sweet yet wooden, muscatel scent.

Flavour is rich and dark with notes of: wood, brown sugar, deep malt and dry leather.

Not as musky as the scent but it’s definitely there, particularly in the after taste.

Rather sweeter than I remember the 2017 version to be. Also notes of prunes as it cools.

Second Steep: 5 minutes

More predominantly red now in colour.

This steep is muskier I think than the first one, which actually I do remember being true of the 2017 flush. It also remains very sweet with a dry after taste.

Perhaps a little stronger than the 2017 flush, probably because it’s that bit fresher.

……………………………..

A delicious tea that went down well this evening. Also a wonderful way to end my catch up.

Now to review tea from today.

Happy Steeping!