You really have to try this champagne of teas
Are you a real tea lover? Then this is news that will make you happy! Even if you don’t gulp down litres of tea every day, because this tea is said to be truly top of the bill; one you really have to taste, according to the experts.
Which tea are we talking about? Well: the exclusive Royal First Flush. This ‘champagne’ of teas, characterised by an exceptionally rich aroma, is made from the very first hand-picked harvest after the winter dormancy of tea plants in India and is considered a true delicacy, sought out worldwide by the greatest tea lovers.
Coffee and tea specialist Simon Lévelt has also managed to acquire several kilos of the tea and will sell the Royal First Flush in all its stores from the end of this week.
The tea of your dreams
Spring marks the moment of the year in Darjeeling, India: the Royal First Flush. The Royal First Flush is the very first, exclusive harvest after the tea plant’s winter dormancy. At precisely the right moment, the young tea leaves are picked by hand and then processed with the utmost precision into the tea of your dreams. As soon as the spring sunshine breaks through, the harvest season begins. And how. The very first harvest after the winter break is the tea highlight of the year.
It produces the world’s most exclusive tea, which, despite its limited production, accounts for a substantial 37% of the tea plantations’ annual turnover. The young, green leaves have an exceptionally rich aroma, and many tea lovers are only too happy to bring them home. Tea houses are therefore queuing up for this special harvest and have been operating waiting lists for their customers since the beginning of spring. Specialty store Simon Lévelt also buys several crates of this exclusive tea every year and waits impatiently for the shipment—as early as January, the first tea lovers come into the store asking when the tea is expected.
Just like fresh asparagus
The excitement surrounding the Royal First Flush is comparable to that surrounding Hollandse Nieuwe, Beaujolais Primeur and the first fresh asparagus. Every year, many international tea houses line up to get their hands on the Royal First Flush. Specialty store Simon Lévelt is also not letting this special tea moment pass it by and is importing 330 kilograms of the exclusive harvest this year. The tea will be available from the end of this week at €13.95 per 75 grams.
Brewing Royal First Flush
To ensure that the intensity of the Royal First Flush comes into its own, the correct brewing method is crucial. Milo van Velzen, Simon Lévelt’s tea specialist for over 16 years: ‘No one is happy with lukewarm champagne or overcooked asparagus, and it’s exactly the same with tea. The way you prepare the tea has a major influence on the flavours that come through.’
Together with the team of tea specialists, Van Velzen brewed the Royal First Flush several times and in different ways. This resulted in two brewing methods that provide a wonderful tea experience. ‘One is sweet and approachable, while the other is somewhat more complex—for the more advanced tea drinker, so to speak,’ says Van Velzen.
- 5 minutes, 90°C, 2 g/cup: This brewing method brings out the sweeter notes and creates an approachable tea. A longer infusion makes the tea sweeter and more accessible.
- 3 minutes, 90°C, 2 g/cup: A brewing method for lovers of the more complex side of the Royal First Flush. With a shorter infusion, the tea develops greater complexity; it is characterised by fresh bitterness and its distinctive hints of grapes and asparagus.
Don’t want to miss out on the Royal First Flush? Sign up now for the Royal First Flush reservation list.
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