Darjeeling
The flush system is the organizing fact of Darjeeling, and ignoring it is the most common way to buy the wrong tea. First flush (March-April) is pale, brisk and floral; second flush (May-June) is fuller, darker and the source of the muscatel grape note that gives Darjeeling its most distinctive character; autumn flush (October-November) is bold and malty without the second flush's aromatic complexity. Buying Darjeeling without specifying the flush is a meaningful gap in information.
First-flush leaf is light to mid-green with silver tips; the brewed cup should be pale gold with a high, airy, sometimes lightly astringent character and a pronounced floral aroma. Second-flush leaf is darker and more twisted, often a two-leaves-and-a-bud style; the muscatel note is the objective and it should be distinctly grape-like and warm in both aroma and taste. Autumn flush produces a rounder, bolder cup with less complexity but more body. Estate-labeled Darjeeling identifies a specific property and harvest lot; blended Darjeeling (labeled only as Darjeeling without estate attribution) is a mix and typically priced lower.
The Darjeeling district sits at elevations from 600 m to over 2,000 m in the sub-Himalayan foothills, and altitude significantly affects flavor: higher-grown gardens tend toward greater delicacy and aromatic lift. The AV2 clonal variety, derived from assamica parentage and widely used for second-flush production, is associated with the most pronounced muscatel character. Darjeeling has a GI designation; enforcement is imperfect, and tea from the broader Darjeeling hills beyond registered production areas does circulate under the name.
First flush: 85-90°C, 3 g per 200 ml, 2.5-3 minutes; boiling water flattens the delicate floral character. Second flush: 90-95°C, 3 g per 200 ml, 3-4 minutes; Western brewing is the traditional approach and shows the muscatel most clearly. Autumn flush: 90-95°C, 3-4 g per 200 ml, 3-4 minutes; milk works well here and is unusual for first or second flush.
Estate first-flush lots from named Darjeeling properties run €30-80 (about $32-86) per 100 g for good quality; premium single-estate top grades reach €100-200 (about $108-216) per 100 g. Second-flush muscatel lots from recognized estates run €25-60 (about $27-65) per 100 g. Blended Darjeeling is widely available at €8-20 (about $9-22) per 100 g.
Prices reviewed June 2026
Assam
Same country, completely different product: Assam's malt and body contrast with Darjeeling's floral delicacy, and together they define the range of Indian orthodox black tea.
Nilgiri
Another Indian orthodox black, lower-altitude and brisk, but without Darjeeling's elevation-driven aromatic complexity or the flush system.
Keemun
The closest Chinese analog in terms of aromatic complexity; Keemun's wine-like and slightly smoky character invites direct comparison with second-flush Darjeeling muscatel.
The muscatel character in second-flush Darjeeling is associated with leafhopper feeding, where insect stress triggers production of specific flavor compounds including the grape-like terpene linalool oxide. The same mechanism produces the honey character in Taiwan's Oriental Beauty. Whether insect stress is the full explanation or one contributing factor is still discussed among producers, but the correlation between leafhopper-affected leaf and muscatel expression is well-established in Darjeeling.