The seasons · Autumn flush
After the monsoon, the hills of eastern Nepal turn clear and cool. The tea bushes slow down before winter rest, and the last harvest of the year begins: the autumn flush.
What makes autumn tea different
Cool, dry days and chilly nights make the bushes grow slowly. The leaves are thicker and more mature than in spring, and the teas made from them are rounder and mellower. Expect notes of baked fruit, malt, honey and sometimes a gentle woodiness, with very little bitterness.
How to enjoy it
Autumn black teas are wonderfully forgiving. Brew with water at 90–95°C for 3–4 minutes. They are lovely on their own, and full-bodied enough to take a splash of milk on a cold evening.
A short window
The autumn flush usually runs from October to November, before the bushes go dormant for winter. Because the harvest is small, autumn lots sell out quickly — when they are gone, they are gone until next year.