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Details
The Soom Estate Tea blend from English Tea Store is a 1st top quality flush Darjeeling tea, grown at 5300 feet above sea level. It has a delicate muscatel character with excellent roundness.
1st Flush occurs in Darjeeling from March through to mid April, During this period the tea bushes have once again begun "flushing" (read growing) after the winter dormancy period. Vigorous flushing occurs because the day time temperature has risen 5 to 7 degrees Celsius (from 10/12 C to 20 Celsius); the hours of daylight have increased (the vernal equinox has passed); and despite the fact that the weather is dry there is excellent moisture retention in the soil from the winter rains. All these factors in the rarefied mountain air help produce this stunning tea. The plucking fields of Soom are about 5200 feet above sea level and the terrain is very severe with some of the slopes approaching 45 degrees. The slopes are so steep that the estate still carries the green leaf to the factory by mountain pony. Many of the bushes are over 130 years old but produce remarkable tea; in fact it is not uncommon for some 1st Flush teas to be rushed to Germany in a race similar to the Beaujolais Run.
The factory burned to the ground in 1995 and was out of production for 1 1/2 years. The new factory has all modern equipment, which now produce some of Darjeeling's best teas. Top tea estates perform a social function and Soom is exemplary in this regard. The estate not only employs 700 people, but provides housing, food and medical needs for the families resulting in about 2000 people living on the estate in full view of the Himalayan Mountains.
The are 3 main times of year for producing good quality Darjeelings:
1st flush - Springtime harvested teas from late Feb. to mid April. The young leaves yield a light tea with generally intense muscatel with 'point'. A gentle afternoon tea.
2nd flush - Harvested in June, these teas are more fully developed. The liquor is bright and the taste full and round excellent muscatel. An superb afternoon tea that is especially good with scones and raspberry conserve.
Autumnal - Not always available depending upon the weather, they are typified by a round taste and coppery liquor. Excellent as a breakfast tea with milk.
Available in 2 sizes (Please select from the options above):
First time trying English Tea Store's Soom Estate Loose Leaf Tea?
Try our Sample Size of 1 ounce.- Contents loose leaf tea net weight 4 ounces
- Contents loose leaf tea net weight 16 ounces (1 pound)
Ingredients: Black tea
Tea is made in India
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Warranty Information
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Additional Information
Clearance Non-Clearance Country Of Origin China Season Everyday Size 4oz Product Type Loose Leaf Tea Dietary Options Caffeinated Dietary Options Gluten Free Flavor Darjeeling Type Darjeeling Tea Type Estate Tea Left Overlay Image gluten-free-prod.png Brand English Tea Store -
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
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Soom First Flush
Absolutely the most delicious Darjeeling, beautiful color, deep yet clean flavor and an excellent price.
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The Real Deal
This is the best value in first flush Darjeeling, in my opinion. I've paid more than twice as much for varieties that I have enjoyed much less. Definitely not my favorite first flush, but better than average. It does have the qualities I had hoped would be there. Namely, I like an initial faint touch of malty leathery-ness which kind of "twists" towards lingering grape and perhaps apricot fruitiness at the end of the sip. It is a nice fake-out and a good amount of complexity to stay interesting. Dry leaves are larger broken pieces (not too fine, so it shouldn't fall through most mesh filters), and with a good amount of twigs. I don't think the twigs have much of an impact on the cup, and I just go ahead and brew with the twigs and all. Leaf quality reminds me of a mechanically harvested Formosa oolong because of the twigs. While this tea is pretty light as far as black tea goes, it actually comes out a bit darker yellow/orangish than I am used to for a first flush, probably owing to the broken leaf size. A benefit of this is that the flavor is probably a bit more concentrated as a result. A two minute steep is just about right with this tea. Brew much longer than two minutes and it will likely turn very bitter as first flush Darjeelings are apt to do. I imagine some of the one and two-star reviewers here followed English Tea Stores "3-7 minute" instructions printed on the label and ended up with a pot of bitterness.
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Too Light For My Taste
I was hoping this tea would have a bit more taste. It's okay, but very light. If you like a more robust Darjeeling, this is not for you.
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A very tasteless tea
Unlike any Darjeeling I have ever tasted. A very high priced cup of dish water.
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Nothing special
I didn't pick up many of the floral notes I buy darjeeling for. I'm also confused by the color. The leaves are mostly green although the description says it's black tea.
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MEMORABLY DELICATE
Memorably delicate flavor, gentle, fruity undertones with a clean, pure taste matched by a light pastel orange honey-gold color. This quality tea is impossible to over-brew: A fine cup worth enjoying any time of day.
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The Soom Estate Tea blend from English Tea Store is a 1st top quality flush Darjeeling tea, grown at 5300 feet above sea level. It has a delicate muscatel character with excellent roundness.
1st Flush occurs in Darjeeling from March through to mid April, During this period the tea bushes have once again begun "flushing" (read growing) after the winter dormancy period. Vigorous flushing occurs because the day time temperature has risen 5 to 7 degrees Celsius (from 10/12 C to 20 Celsius); the hours of daylight have increased (the vernal equinox has passed); and despite the fact that the weather is dry there is excellent moisture retention in the soil from the winter rains. All these factors in the rarefied mountain air help produce this stunning tea. The plucking fields of Soom are about 5200 feet above sea level and the terrain is very severe with some of the slopes approaching 45 degrees. The slopes are so steep that the estate still carries the green leaf to the factory by mountain pony. Many of the bushes are over 130 years old but produce remarkable tea; in fact it is not uncommon for some 1st Flush teas to be rushed to Germany in a race similar to the Beaujolais Run.
The factory burned to the ground in 1995 and was out of production for 1 1/2 years. The new factory has all modern equipment, which now produce some of Darjeeling's best teas. Top tea estates perform a social function and Soom is exemplary in this regard. The estate not only employs 700 people, but provides housing, food and medical needs for the families resulting in about 2000 people living on the estate in full view of the Himalayan Mountains.
The are 3 main times of year for producing good quality Darjeelings:
1st flush - Springtime harvested teas from late Feb. to mid April. The young leaves yield a light tea with generally intense muscatel with 'point'. A gentle afternoon tea.
2nd flush - Harvested in June, these teas are more fully developed. The liquor is bright and the taste full and round excellent muscatel. An superb afternoon tea that is especially good with scones and raspberry conserve.
Autumnal - Not always available depending upon the weather, they are typified by a round taste and coppery liquor. Excellent as a breakfast tea with milk.
Available in 2 sizes (Please select from the options above):
First time trying English Tea Store's Soom Estate Loose Leaf Tea?
Try our Sample Size of 1 ounce.- Contents loose leaf tea net weight 4 ounces
- Contents loose leaf tea net weight 16 ounces (1 pound)
Ingredients: Black tea
Tea is made in India
| Clearance | Non-Clearance |
|---|---|
| Country Of Origin | China |
| Season | Everyday |
| Size | 4oz |
| Product Type | Loose Leaf Tea |
| Dietary Options | Caffeinated |
| Dietary Options | Gluten Free |
| Flavor | Darjeeling |
| Type | Darjeeling Tea |
| Type | Estate Tea |
| Left Overlay Image | gluten-free-prod.png |
| Brand | English Tea Store |
6 Reviews
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Soom First Flush
Absolutely the most delicious Darjeeling, beautiful color, deep yet clean flavor and an excellent price.
-
The Real Deal
This is the best value in first flush Darjeeling, in my opinion. I've paid more than twice as much for varieties that I have enjoyed much less. Definitely not my favorite first flush, but better than average. It does have the qualities I had hoped would be there. Namely, I like an initial faint touch of malty leathery-ness which kind of "twists" towards lingering grape and perhaps apricot fruitiness at the end of the sip. It is a nice fake-out and a good amount of complexity to stay interesting. Dry leaves are larger broken pieces (not too fine, so it shouldn't fall through most mesh filters), and with a good amount of twigs. I don't think the twigs have much of an impact on the cup, and I just go ahead and brew with the twigs and all. Leaf quality reminds me of a mechanically harvested Formosa oolong because of the twigs. While this tea is pretty light as far as black tea goes, it actually comes out a bit darker yellow/orangish than I am used to for a first flush, probably owing to the broken leaf size. A benefit of this is that the flavor is probably a bit more concentrated as a result. A two minute steep is just about right with this tea. Brew much longer than two minutes and it will likely turn very bitter as first flush Darjeelings are apt to do. I imagine some of the one and two-star reviewers here followed English Tea Stores "3-7 minute" instructions printed on the label and ended up with a pot of bitterness.
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Too Light For My Taste
I was hoping this tea would have a bit more taste. It's okay, but very light. If you like a more robust Darjeeling, this is not for you.
-
A very tasteless tea
Unlike any Darjeeling I have ever tasted. A very high priced cup of dish water.
-
Nothing special
I didn't pick up many of the floral notes I buy darjeeling for. I'm also confused by the color. The leaves are mostly green although the description says it's black tea.
-
MEMORABLY DELICATE
Memorably delicate flavor, gentle, fruity undertones with a clean, pure taste matched by a light pastel orange honey-gold color. This quality tea is impossible to over-brew: A fine cup worth enjoying any time of day.
