Peregrine Mountain 1st Flush

This is a first-flush, loose-leaf black tea from the mountains of Yunnan in China, the birthplace of tea, and one of my favourite black teas. "First flush" means it is picked at the very start of spring, when the plants wake from their winter dormancy and put out their first, most concentrated new growth of the year; those early pickings are prized, and it takes real skill to gather them without damaging the delicate buds.

You can see that quality in the leaf. It is long and neat, shot through with an abundance of golden buds, the young tips of the plant, still downy with the fine protective hairs that tea people call pekoe. In the cup it is smooth as silk, with a deep, sweet aroma and notes of dark raisin, plum and caramel. One customer described it as an Assam but lighter and more refined, which I think captures it beautifully; it makes a wonderful morning cup, and it is quite something alongside a piece of chocolate brownie.

There is a story behind the name, too. As the legend goes, a young boy found a peregrine falcon caught in a warlord's snare. The bird promised that if the boy set it free, it would lead him to a hidden field of undiscovered tea. He freed it, the falcon kept its word, and it is from that field, so the tale has it, that this tea is still picked each spring.

I would taste it without milk first, to enjoy the aroma and the fruit, but it is sturdy enough to take a splash if you prefer. It is also one of the teas in my Ashmolean Way of Tea collection.

" Well made, with some length and distinctive Yunnan character." - Great Taste Awards 2022 (1 Star)

Ingredients || Black Tea (SFTGFOP Orthodox)

Warning, packed in an environment that contains nuts

Caffeine || Yes

Tasting Notes || Smooth and silky, with dark raisin, plum and caramel

Brewing Notes || 1 teaspoon per cup, 100ºC, brew for 3-4 minutes.