First Flush vs Second Flush Tea — Which Is Better?

Even though all tea variants in the world come from same plant, the difference in flavor profile and color of liquid can be noticed. Many factors are responsible for this — one of them being time of harvesting of tea leaves. The season when tea plants start growing new leaves which can be harvested is called flushes. There are three main flush or tea harvesting season in India — spring flush, also known as first flush; summer second flush and autumn flush.

Apart from these main seasons, there are two other in-between which take place between these main flushes known as monsoon flush and winter flush.
There are several different tea harvesting seasons in Japan and China too. The first harvesting season of Japan is known as ‘Shincha’ or ‘Ichibancha’. Similarly, in China, the first tea harvest season takes place before the Qing Ming Festival and is therefore referred to as Pre-Qing- Ming tea.

Among tea connoisseurs in world, tea harvested during first flush and second flush teas are of superior quality compared to the others. The two main flushes in India have been discussed in brief below –

• First Flush

First tea harvesting season of the year takes place during spring season when new leaves have just started to grow after lying dormant throughout the winter months. For this reason, it is also referred to as the spring flush. The spring harvesting season starts from around the end of February and lasts until the end of April.

Since first flush tea gets more time to grow, its leaves are also rich in a variety of nutrients and antioxidants. These leaves picked during this time are more delicate and tender which, when brewed results in a very light, floral, and fresh flavor.

Additionally, these leaves are also allowed to oxidize for a shorter amount of time to preserve this flavor. When you buy tea in the USA, keep in mind that for variants like green tea, oolong tea, white tea, first flush leaves are better.

• Second Flush

Second tea harvest season takes place during the summer months of May, June, July. The tea plants grow much faster when they get abundant sunlight, and therefore, these leaves mature more quickly than first flush. These leaves also receive more rainfall which helps in more rapid growth. Mature tea leaves are responsible for a rich, full-bodied flavor.

Second flush from Assam is of more superior quality because its warm and humid climate lends the tea a smooth, malty, and sweet flavor. The leaves are also rich in caffeine which make them perfect for breakfast blends.

Assam Tea from India named after the region where they are produced is well known all over the world for their exotic aroma. It is generally considered that first flush is of a more delicate quality than second flush. In contrast, summer second flush from Assam has a superior flavor profile than its first flush. Therefore, when you buy tea in the USA, make sure to check which region the tea is from and when it has been harvested.

However, before you buy tea in the USA, remember that quality also depends on the region they are produced. For instance, summer second flush Assam tea is of a much higher quality than first flush. In contrast, Assam first flush is more preferred.