First Flush is the first taste of spring — literally. In the opening days of March, after a long winter sleep, the tea plants at Kanchanjangha Tea Estate wake to cool air, intense high-altitude sun, and Himalayan snowmelt. Growth is slow and deliberate, and the young leaves come in concentrated and vivid green. In Nepal the harvest is a cultural celebration: astrologers mark the auspicious picking days, and the first leaves are gathered with blessings for the year ahead. The tea reaches market within about 20 days of picking — as fresh as black tea gets.

The garden sits at 4,200 to 6,000 feet between Ilam and Darjeeling, Nepal's first certified organic estate, run as a cooperative social enterprise since 1984.

In the cup: smooth and bright, more delicate than most black teas — gentle sweetness, a floral fragrance, and a fresh, slightly vegetal finish. If you think of black tea as heavy, this is the one that changes your mind.

Ingredients: Black tea (Camellia sinensis). Certified organic.

Brewing: 2g (about 1 tsp) per 8 oz water at 210°F, steep 3 minutes.