Margaret's Hope-TGFOP Estate Black Tea

• Country of Origin: India
• Region: Darjeeling
• Shipping Port: Calcutta
• Grade: TGFOP (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe)
• Altitude: 6800 feet above sea level
• Manufacturer Type: Orthodox
• Cup Characteristics: A delicate tending astringent cup with the distinctive ‘Muscatel’ character. Hints of currant create an almost wine-like taste.
• Infusions: Bright and tending light
• Ingredients: Luxury black tea

During the 1930’s the garden was owned by Mr. Bagdon who lived in London but visited the tea garden regularly. He had two daughters. On one trip, his youngest daughter Margaret accompanied him. They journeyed by ship since air travel was not available to them. Upon arrival at the tea garden, Margaret fell in love with the estate, the people and the area. She hoped that when she was older she would return to manage the estate. Sadly, she fell ill on board ship during the return trip to England and died soon after. In her memory, her father changed the garden’s name to Margaret’s Hope. It is believed that her ghost still wanders the garden. Margaret’s room was the guestroom of the bungalow and since her visit, overnight estate guests have seen her apparition coming through the patio doors, visiting her room and leaving via the verandah leading to the tennis courts.

The bushes at Margaret’s Hope are almost entirely the Chinese Jat (genus) accounting for the green leafed tippy appearance of the manufactured leaf and the superb fragrance. Because the tea is grown at such high altitudes and in relatively cool weather the bushes do not grow quickly, and as such the production is limited. The best time of the year for quality is during ‘second-flush’ (end May - end June). During this time Darjeelings are incomparable to any other tea in the world. The fragrance and taste is a complex bouquet that reaches right out of the cup. Some would describe the taste as nutty; others find it reminds them of black currants, but most often it is described as similar to the taste and fragrance of muscat grapes.

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.