Darjeeling GOOMTEE, Autumnal 2010, lot 123/10

Third Flush from Darjeeling

Autumnal Flush from original Chinese tea plants, for which the Goomtee estate is famous.
A liquor of rather bright golden-coppery colour; strong, slightly astringent spicy taste with tones of citrus and unripe grapes and nutty finish. The appearance of leaves suggests only light fermentation.

Preparation:  Allow 5 teaspoons (15g) of tea for 1l of boiled water, let it steep for 3 - 5 minutes.

Goomtee Estate - family heritage on a mountainside
Tea bushes of the "China" variety are planted on the mountain slopes at an altitude between 900 and 1800 m. Moderately cold climate and ample rainfall makes the Goomtee Estate an ideal place for quality tea production. Such conditions when sunshine alternates with mist contribute to slow growth, necessary for a natural development of all qualities of tea leaf. The Goomtee Estate is a belt of land set in a picturesque landscape, with the Jungpana Estate to the east and Castleton to the west. There are several waterfalls and a beautiful garden surrounding the family bungalow.

History
In 1899, the Garden was planted by British pioneer Henry Lennox and later on it was taken over by famous planter G. W. O‘Brien.After World War II, the royal Rana family of Nepal purchased it. In mid-1950‘s, the garden was purchased by Mr. Mahabir Prasad and the Kejriwal family, Indian pioneers, who also took over the management. During the last 50 years, the plantation and the factory underwent a complete renovation. The current management headed by Mr. Ashok Kumar is focused on maintaining the traditional art of tea growing.
Tea plucking and subsequent processes until packaging and sale are thoroughly recorded in daily reports. Records contain complete information about the raw material, garden section, altitude and climatic conditions on the day of plucking. Exact processing parameters - leaf withering and rolling and lot drying - are also recorded.

Glossary
Lot - this number usually means the day of plucking and processing of a certain tea quantity. For example, tea plucked on the third day of harvest or 2008 will have a lot number 3/ 08. Tea in one lot undergoes the same processing. Thus it becomes a unique original.