Second flush Darjeeling SFTGFOP1 Musc[atel]. Singbulli is another of those estates that produces very fine teas. When I opened the packet, my first thought was "potato chips" Odd for tea, but followed by a nice brown, somewhat autumny smell. The leaves were a good twisted mix of brown shades. The liquor brewed up to a rich golden brown, with a toasted chestnut and yes, a hint of baked potato.
It is taste, however that is the final frontier and this does not disappoint.The tea has a very full mouth feel, with just a bit of astringency thrown in to make you sit up and take notice. There's a hint of leather, a hint of autumn to come (which is probably the muscatel), a bit of sweet teasing around the edges. And there is that baked potato again - around the edges, something definitely warm and toasty. You may not find any potato at all and not like it if you did, but potatoes are my most favorite food in the world, if I could only have one. As it cools, there seems to be the scent of a forest, with a whole lot more sweetness in the mouth.
As you can see, this is a very tough tea to pin down - each mouthful seems to offer something different - a whole tea journey in one or two cups. It is not as superb as yesterday's, but it is definitely an excellent tea.
The picture above is the cloister walk of a monastery in Sorrento, Italy. I loved the ancient vine. All of the columns were rescued from monasteries that have ceased to exist. Eco-friendly.
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