I suppose it's odd that this isn't a Spring tea / first flush review given that it's that season again, time for ordering fresh new versions, as Darjeeling goes. I was supposed to receive some samples very recently but the local post office seems to have lost them, maybe delivered to the wrong house. Odd that doesn't come up more often, given how inconsistent many things can be where I live, in Thailand.
In going back to try older samples I recently experienced how storage can affect teas like these, in a case of a 2021 first flush version. Flavors mute a bit over time, and a heavy mineral aspect picks up. It would depend on storage temperature, I think, with it as a given that complete isolation from air contact is in place. It's hot here in Bangkok, and green tea freshness fades faster, or related character of first flush teas, whether those are grouped as lightly oxidized black teas or white versions. I don't think that would've been as much a factor for a tea made later in last year, if it was a more oxidized version, but it's at least conceivable that this tea could've been better half a year ago.
I think even a green or white first flush version, at their best drank freshest, would still be fine if stored isolated from air for a year, just not if room temperature made it into the mid-30's C / 90s F. A bit of the fresh edge would wear off, which would be a shame. Some teas actually improve with age, and oolongs can fall under that category, but how all that maps out can be complicated. As I see it either well roasted oolongs benefit from rest or people can value a transition in rolled (ball-shaped) versions that takes many years, so although this kind of tea wouldn't degrade or change quickly I'd expect it would be better fresh than aged, for almost any amount of time. Then the topic of aged Oriental Beauty does come up as a second kind of concern, so it might not be quite that simple.
Something interesting came up in checking a site listing for this:
Rohini Summer Honey Oolong – Bug Bitten Tea 2021 – Royal Series
This is one of the finest summer teas produced from high-quality AV2 bushes at Rohini Tea Estate. There is a reason behind the name ‘bug bitten tea’. During June, when the second flush teas are harvested, the rise in temperature also causes a rise in the insect population. The Tea Jassids also called green flies in Darjeeling feed on the tea leaves for a couple of weeks. During this time they suck out the moisture causing the leaves to shrivel downwards. The loss of moisture does not kill the leaf but rather stunts its growth leading to a concentration of flavors...
This summer oolong consists of brownish-black leaves and a few silver tips. It brews into an aromatic bright amber cup with a very smooth flavor and no astringency. The tea has a mouthful of sweet and fruity muscatel character with a finish of honey and mango flavors. A compelling make and a true delight, it is definitely one of the best teas produced by Rohini Tea Estate.
I don't know if this really was a 2021 version, or if they made this in 2022, but it's not up on their site now. The leaves look a bit darker than in that product sales page:
I could ask them but it's possible that it's not clear which tea version had been sent last year; little details like that can slip away over time. Rishi does sometimes share versions sold only as small batches with me, since one main idea is to let me try them, and to hear feedback, more than for a marketing function.
It's odd not touching on the category naming of this being presented as oolong, which I'll mostly set aside. This could be like an Oriental Beauty version, if the bug-bitten effect is similar, and the oxidation level also matches, as it seems to from dry leaf appearance. It goes without saying but if this does seem a lot like a standard Taiwanese OB oolong version (which it isn't; tea plant type, terroir, and processing must all be different) citrus, spice range (towards cinnamon), and other fruit would stand out.
Review:
First infusion: nice! It does taste a bit like honey, with plenty of muscatel range too (or citrus / grape / liqueur), and other warm fruit tones. It's probably going to pack slightly more punch after the first infusion but it expresses a lot of depth and complexity already. I will hold off on a more detailed flavor list though. Feel is nice already; it has a lot of rich structure, and pleasant trailing aftertaste that will probably pick up. As a Chinese black tea drinker most into fruit and warmer tones in black tea this is a good style match for me.
Second infusion: edge really picked up. It's not a challenging astringency, always a concern with more chopped leaf versions, but it's significant, and will relate to using fast infusion times to moderate that character input. At this high proportion that's normal enough, and doesn't relate to drinking weak tea. Warm mineral base stands out more for that, but there is plenty of citrus still, and a base of warm fruit tone, that's still hard to break down further.
One warm fruit tone is especially catchy, along the line of teaberry, mixing berry, mint, and an edgier range. Mint is not really typical in Darjeeling, per my past experience. Next one would consider what the mint range is like, wintergreen versus spearmint and such; maybe I'll get back to that if it gets stronger.
Third infusion: nicely balanced for brewing that fast, maybe just seconds too fast. Orange flavor increases this round, like the zest, the oil from the peel. Mint is still there if you look for it but I wouldn't notice it at this proportion, without having it in mind. The balance of intense and complex flavors, sweetness, warm base tones, limited astringency, and pleasant aftertaste work out really well. Never mind the tea not expressing flaws, the rest really comes together. There is other fruit range to consider, but it seems mixed in with the rest, not as distinct. Maybe a red raspberry note stands out as much as any.
Fourth infusion: brewed slightly stronger mint stands out more, and the balance of warm depth and astringency structure ramps up. It's cool how brewing an extra few seconds changes the experience. That mint tone is catchy, nicely complementing the rest. I only remember pronounced mint in one tea, beyond Ruby / Red Jade, which typically seems more like eucalyptus or menthol to me, in a test batch version from Laos that my friend Anna shared. I've heard it comes up in some Russian teas but I've not noticed it in any, that I remember.
Fruit is a good balancing input for that aspect, and warm tones, a little towards cocoa / cacao. Citrus is still present in this round but more as a part of the rest, on an even balance, where it stood out as primary in the last round. I think that was probably due to the slight change in infusion strength more than a one-round aspect transition cycle variation (but who knows, really).
Fifth infusion: fairly similar to last round. I'll skip the notes and add if it transitions more next round.
Sixth infusion: intensity is definitely fading, and some of the brighter fruit flavor dropping out faster than the rest, especially the bright citrus and berry. Warmer and deeper tones will hang in there more from here, most likely, moving on towards a woody effect. It's far from spent though; the remaining fruit still gives it a nice balance, and mint is still present.
Later infusions: it kept going, trailing off to similar character range, with fruit progressively getting swapped out for more woody tones.
Conclusion:
One of the better Darjeeling versions I've ever tried. I've commented before how that expectation context can throw off normal range of judgment for Gopaldhara's teas. If one isn't among the best I've ever tried, at least at a 99% sort of level, it seems a little disappointing. Then even if a version is that good without a novel new aspect experience included it can fall short of other versions experience.
Not all of their teas are absolutely fantastic; some are just quite good. It's a good track record, one that can shift balance of interpretation. The same is true for the versions being more whole leaf, with concerns over astringency generally dropping out; that's just part of the normal baseline.
Then style preference factors in, or relation to individual aspects. I really do love Dian Hong, Yunnan black teas, for how those heavy, rich, complex flavors balance, range like cacao, roasted yam and sweet potato, depth from spice, and varying fruit tones. I suppose that's part of why these Gopaldhara Darjeeling versions work so well for me, even though that heavy flavor range isn't the same, with the fruit tones and flavor context are all lighter. First flush Spring versions are nice too, just in a different way. That bright, fresh, intense lighter range compares more to what I like most in Nepal white teas, strong lighter citrus, brighter floral tones, supported by a lighter mineral range.
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