What does coffee production in world terms show next to the 2021 Darjeeling first flush?
The 2021 Darjeeling season was turbulent. Unusually dry conditions delayed the first flush until late March instead of mid-March, then April snowfall split the harvest into two distinct phases and pushed quality apart. Early-picked batches were darker in color yet bright, floral, and lively with spice. Gardens lost roughly 30 to 75 percent of normal production, and the second flush arrived late, with first samples not appearing until early June.
Sourcing that year took patience and higher prices. The early first flush leaf proved clearly better than later pickings, so several batches were bought at significantly higher cost. The delayed second flush rewarded the wait with rich caramel and apricot flavors. Pandemic and climate pressures pushed shipping costs up while demand climbed, making fine Darjeeling one of the harder teas to secure.
Darjeeling black tea has long been celebrated as the "Champagne of Teas," and each year's new harvest keeps tea lovers eagerly awaiting its arrival. The 2021 picking season, however, was especially turbulent: an unusually dry early spring, followed by unseasonable snowfall in April, split the first flush into two distinct phases, causing yields to plummet and quality to diverge sharply. The second flush also arrived late, with the first samples not appearing until early June, yet the summer-picked teas rewarded the wait with rich caramel and apricot flavors. Under the dual pressures of the pandemic and climate, shipping costs soared and demand climbed, making the scramble for fine teas one of the toughest challenges in recent years. This article revisits the unique character of Darjeeling's first and second flushes that year and shares Front Street Coffee's insights on sourcing.
Darjeeling black tea is hailed as the Champagne of Teas. Once we've tasted the year's new harvest, all we can do is wait quietly for the next picking season to indulge ourselves once more.
The 2021 Darjeeling production was a classic case of agonizing waiting. First came the hurried tending of the gardens, then the wait for the dry weather to end so the first flush could sprout. We raced to harvest before the unseasonable April snowfall, then patiently waited for the long-delayed second flush. Finally, the finished teas were flown to the other side of the world, in hopes of sharing these treasures with our customers. Thank goodness, the waiting finally came to an end.
The first flush usually begins in mid-March, but this year showed no signs of life until the end of the month, due to unusually dry conditions before the season. Then the April snowfall cut the harvest cleanly into two very different phases. We ultimately selected several batches of early-picked teas and paid significantly higher prices for them. The leaves were darker in color than usual, yet the flavors were highly distinctive and delightful: bright, floral, with a lively spice. In hindsight, this choice proved fortunate, as the early teas were clearly superior to the later ones, and overall production fell severely, with gardens losing roughly 30% to 75% compared to average years.
Following the first flush, the second flush also got off to a late start. It normally begins in mid-to-late May, but we didn't receive our first samples until the second week of June. The weather created a situation similar to the first flush—high quality but low yields. Second flush prices soared just like the first flush, ultimately turning into a frantic scramble just to secure the best teas. The finest batches we found turned out to be quite delightful, if we may say so ourselves. They evoked fond memories of drinking Darjeeling in a tea house—rich caramel, apricot flavors, making you want to brew another cup.
Unlike the years before the global pandemic, the combined effects of the health and climate crises made sourcing enormously challenging. In addition, rising consumer demand sent shipping costs soaring. The gold rush for Darjeeling's first and second flushes in 2021 ranks among the most difficult seasons in recent years.
Broadleaf is an organization rooted in Darjeeling, dedicated to providing health education and supplies to school-age children of Darjeeling tea industry workers.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
