AV2 vs P312
The two Darjeeling clonals that between them explain why the district’s first and second flushes now taste as they do. Estates commonly grow both and pick them separately, because they were selected for different halves of the season.
cultivar
What is being compared
Point by point
| Aspect | AV2 | P312 |
|---|---|---|
| Selected at | Ambari. | Phoobsering. |
| Planted for | First-flush aroma. | Second-flush weight. |
| Character | Floral and muscatel-leaning, with far more aroma than the older seed-grown China bushes. | Heavier body and more pronounced muscatel in the second flush. |
| Effect on the district | The main reason Darjeeling first flush tastes different now from thirty years ago — a cultivar shift, not a change in processing. | Less visible to buyers, and equally deliberate. |
| How estates use them | Picked separately. | Picked separately. |
| Replanting share | Dominates replanting across the district. | Widely grown alongside it. |
The short answer
Darjeeling first flush changed because the plants changed, which is worth knowing before attributing the difference to climate or to declining standards. Estates that still hold old China-bush sections sell that fact deliberately.
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