Established in 1864, the Margaret’s Hope garden rises to almost 2,000 m above sea level, facing the peaks of the Himalayas, between two rivers of pure water, forests and wild flowers. It is one of the most celebrated gardens in Darjeeling. Mariage Frères offers here the spring 2023 harvest, lot DJ19, graded FTGFOP1, premium first flush.

The dry leaves mix fine buds in moonstone tones, leaves of intense emerald green, and others in rosewood shades. Darjeeling first flush is picked from March to April, and its light oxidation preserves an almost green freshness. As a plain tea, it contains no additives.

Once infused, the leaves express the freshness of spring through sparkling notes of wood sorrel, softened by an apricot confit. The liquor, golden and amber, has a fragrance in which sweet macaroon notes blend with gentle almond; on the palate, muscat grape and passion fruit unfold with elegance. Fruity roundness, muscatel accents: this is Darjeeling in its full definition.

It is drunk plain, without milk, during the day, away from meals or with delicate dishes. The house also offers a cold brew: 15 g of leaves in one litre of pure water, twelve hours in the cool, then strain and serve in a large balloon glass filled to a third; the cold brings out other fragrances from the palette of this garden.

For a hot cup, allow 2.5 g per 200 ml of water at 95 °C and three minutes of steeping, no longer. Margaret’s Hope 2023 is weighed and packed to order in our shops in Bordeaux and Nice, from the 5 g sample to the kilo, and keeps in an airtight tin, away from light; a vintage is best drunk within two years.