Risheehat SFTGFOP1 ~ Upton

Because I had one remaining fine Darjeeling and there’s seven days in the week, rather than five, i thought i might as well give a second post to Upton (I have a feeling they won’t mind). Plus, Risheehat is, I think, the most recognizable Darjeeling Estate after Makaibari and Margaret’s Hope (how many can you name now? xD)

Today’s tea is Risheehat SFTGFOP1, though for ridiculousness completeness its full extracted title is Risheehat Darjeeling Est. 1st Flush (DJ-2) Organic Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowering Orange Pekoe #1. Believe me, you do not need to know what half of that junk means. A rough translation goes something like “KMFDM; better than the best; and harder than the rest…” If you’ve ever wondered if there really is a noticeable difference between FTGFOP and SFTGFOP (and really, who hasn’t?), compare the following description to any of this week’s reviews.

Of all the Darjeelings I reviewed this week, Risheehat has by far the most enticing loose leaf aroma (others were mostly flat or uninspiring). In liquor, Risheehat cups very well to a dull moon-like golden hue. The infused aroma is also quite terrific: a gooey and inviting rose-chrysanthemum is threatening to make me sneeze from how much i’m taken with sniffing it. Flavor-wise, Risheehat SFTGFOP1 sets the bar: a light and lush vegetal astringency, similar to a Chinese Green gives way to a bitter earthy rose bud. Risheehat SFTGFOP1 also has a decent texture, though i would say grit is maybe its weakest point. I was also really impressed with how well Risheehat SFTGFOP1 unfurled compared to its cousins. This tea is certified organic by Baystate, so I’ve been more than a little tempted to start munching on it…

1. Aroma – 93
2. Taste – 93
3. Texture – 87
4. Spunk – 94
5. Price – 97 (a $7 sample size)
6. Availability – 96 (strangely it isn’t all that unheard of)
7. Appearance – 93

Mean score – 93% The second best rated behind Margaret’s Hope FTGFOP Tippy. There you have it: Adding an “S” and a “1” does not, superiority automatically make. Congratulations to Margaret’s Hope for a really outstanding showing. This week I’ve come to recognize that if a tea is labeled “Darjeeling ___ Estate FTGFOP”, you can be assured it’ll be worth your time and money. ;)