Darjeeling autumn flush
The post-monsoon picking, made after the rains have ended and the bushes have slowed. Darker and quieter than either spring or summer tea, it trades aromatic lift for a smooth, coppery, lightly spiced cup that is considerably cheaper than the flushes either side of it.
Character
Smooth and mellow, with the district’s aromatic signature much reduced. Frequently the best value Darjeeling on a merchant’s list, and rarely the most interesting.
- Flavour
- Fruity, Spice
- Aroma
- Caramelised
- Mouthfeel
- Medium, Smooth
- Complexity
- Moderate
- Notes
- dried fruit, copper, sweet spice
- Aftertaste
- Soft and rounded, with little drying grip.
Moderate intensity: noticeable weight or grip, but neither dominates the cup.
Provenance and production
- Origin
- India
- Region
- Darjeeling
- Oxidation
- Fully oxidised
- Harvest
- Autumn
- Processing
- Withering → Rolling and shaping → Oxidation → Drying
Brewing
Western brewing (teapot or mug)
1–1.5 g/100 ml · 92–98 °C · 1 authored infusion
Gongfu brewing (gaiwan)
4–5 g/100 ml · 90–95 °C · 5 authored infusions
No caffeine estimate is authored for this tea. TeaHQ does not infer one from its category, because category predicts caffeine poorly — matcha and gyokuro carry more than many black teas.
Common mistakes
- Paying spring-flush prices for it on the strength of the district name alone
If you like this
Grouped by why they were suggested, strongest reason first. Nothing here is a blended score — a suggestion appears under the best reason that exists for it, and never under a weaker one as well.
Editorially linked
Someone wrote down why these two belong together. The note below is theirs.
- Darjeeling first flush
Both light-bodied Darjeelings from the same bushes. The autumn flush is rounder and less floral, and is often sold at first-flush prices to buyers who have only heard of the two famous ones.
Similar sensory profile
Shares controlled flavour, aroma and mouthfeel descriptors. A looser match — two teas can share descriptors and still taste nothing alike.
- Bailin Jin Hao
Shares 4 descriptors with Darjeeling autumn flush: fruity, medium, smooth and caramelised.
- Russian Caravan
Shares 4 descriptors with Darjeeling autumn flush: fruity, medium, smooth and caramelised.
- Shou Mei
Shares 4 descriptors with Darjeeling autumn flush: fruity, medium, smooth and caramelised.
- Xing Ren Xiang Dan Cong
Shares 4 descriptors with Darjeeling autumn flush: fruity, medium, smooth and caramelised.
- Aged Baozhong
Shares 3 descriptors with Darjeeling autumn flush: fruity, smooth and caramelised.
- Aged GABA oolong
Shares 3 descriptors with Darjeeling autumn flush: fruity, smooth and caramelised.
- Aged Gong Mei
Shares 3 descriptors with Darjeeling autumn flush: fruity, smooth and caramelised.