What are "first-flush" teas?

Air-freighted tea - an overview

When the first tea leaves sprout in the spring, an important period begins in the mountains of Darjeeling and Nepal. This is because the very first tea harvest of the year, which falls between March and April depending on weather conditions, is highly coveted among First Flush connoisseurs.

Why do we call it "Flugtee" (air-freighted tea)?

The term “Flugtee” (literally "flight tea") has become established in India, particularly in Darjeeling and Assam, and refers to how the tea ultimately reaches us. Even before the advent of air travel, there was a desire to transport the first, highly sought-after harvest from India to England as quickly as possible. During the colonial era, this even led to competitions.
In 1859, the more economical clipper ships from India to London proved superior to larger models. While they had less cargo space, they required a smaller crew for transport, and, above all, these smaller sailing ships were significantly faster. The first ship to reach London with the fresh harvest received a special bonus. From this competitive spirit, increasingly effective methods were developed in the 1950s and 60s to guarantee the rapid procurement of the new harvest – namely by airplane, which remains the fastest method today. Tea that arrived by air was thus given the designation "Flugtee" (air-freighted tea).

Shipping routes remain the standard for mass-market tea today, as they allow for the transport of large quantities. For more exquisite products, however, the air route has gradually become the norm. This, of course, applies not only to the first harvest of Darjeeling and Nepal tea, but to a much wider spectrum.

Nevertheless, the term "Flugtee" remains. But what is truly decisive is that it involves the very first harvest of the year or the first fresh harvest of the Second Flush period. For conventional First Flush teas, all pluckings within the defined timeframe of the First Flush period—which can last until May—are included. Often, a particular tea is composed of several pluckings during the corresponding harvest season. The later the harvest date, the more of the delicate, characteristic notes are lost. However, the blending of different pluckings ensures the quality of the First or Second Flush harvests that do not reach us as air-freighted tea.

It all depends on the weather!

The climatic conditions are decisive for the harvest time and the aroma. Fluctuations can occur annually with any natural product. In years with delayed rain, the First Flush consequently occurs later. In some gardens, artificial irrigation is therefore used so that the harvest period can be roughly maintained.

Therefore, not every First Flush air-freighted tea from the same garden tastes the same as in previous years. Every year presents us with a new, individual taste experience.

Before the pluckings that reach the market, test pluckings can take place. The "invoice" number, or DJ number, which is sometimes but not always marked on the goods, reveals which plucking number it is.

The differences between First and Second Flush at a glance

One look into the tea caddy is enough to recognize the first characteristic difference.

Fresh First Flush has a slight resemblance to a green tea, as the leaf often has a distinctly green tint with light green, dark green, and silvery components—depending on the tea. The latter are the closed leaf buds. This color is related to the processing. First Flush teas are usually oxidized in a resting room for only a short period—typically 15 to 20 minutes, which the tea master decides based on the smell. Thus, the young green of the leaf is preserved and visually resembles green tea.

Summer harvests, by contrast, feature a much darker, brownish, or multicolored leaf with light tips (the buds). The two leaves next to the bud, which are plucked per shoot, have a darker color because they are oxidized for a bit longer. In this case, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Teas that are oxidized for a longer period can also be stored slightly longer, for between 1 to 2 years, without significantly losing aroma. For fresh First Flush harvests that oxidize only briefly, the tea should be consumed within six months to a year for the best enjoyment.

Aroma and preparation

Of course, every air-freighted tea has its own unique aroma. But there are also similarities in taste between the various types. A First Flush air-freighted tea predominantly displays highly floral to fruity, sweet notes both in the scent and on the palate, often followed by slight astringency from the tannins, which becomes stronger the longer the tea cools. Some First Flush air-freighted teas are very lively and refreshing; others are soft and floral.

For the preparation of First Flush air-freighted tea, it is recommended to let the tea steep at 95 - 100°C for 2 minutes.

A second infusion is also enjoyed, although the sweet, fruity notes are somewhat diminished. If a second infusion is intended, it is recommended to let the first one steep for a little less than 2 minutes. This makes the tea taste milder, naturally.

Shincha - new tea

It is not only with black teas that the first harvest of the year is eagerly awaited. "Shincha" is Japanese for "new tea." According to the traditional Chinese calendar, the Shincha period begins 88 days after the official start of spring in February. On the first weekend of April, Qing Ming begins, which marks a chronological boundary. The first harvest takes place before Qing Ming; after that, there is a sharp cut-off, after which the price of subsequent harvests drops again.

Only the youngest leaves of the tea are harvested between the end of March and the end of May. The further the harvests progress towards summer, the larger and faster the leaves grow, and of course, this also influences the taste components in the tea.

In the subtropical regions, such as Kyushu with the well-known provinces of Kagoshima and Miyazaki, harvesting begins as early as the beginning of April, depending on weather conditions. Shizuoka and Uji only have their turn in May. Since rainfall occurs more frequently in May, care must also be taken during the harvest. If plucked during rain, a lower quality (Tsuyu-me) is produced than on the day after the rains, which is said to make the taste fuller and accelerate growth.

The first pluckings are also a special feature for Shincha. Over the winter to the spring, the plants can accumulate many nutrients and channel them into the young shoots, where they are needed for new growth. In summer, however, fewer nutrients can be collected, and a different composition of secondary plant substances is created, which is why the tea quality also differs. The moisture level of Shincha is also significantly higher than that of summer harvests, which makes them taste much fresher.

Nutrients are abundant in fresh Shincha, including vitamins, L-theanine, α-linolenic acid, catechins, and, of course, caffeine. The assumption that summer harvests always contain more catechins than spring varieties is not true. Generally, there are more catechins present in the first harvest than in later ones, but the composition of the different types of catechins is different.

One might now get the impression that only the first harvests of green and black teas are high-quality or always superior in taste. Such a generalization is, of course, not true. While there is a "best" tea, it is different for every individual taste.