An Interlude Called Autumn

Autumn in India is a short season, the season of retreating monsoon, a pause before winter kicks in. As seasons go, autumn is near perfect, with a pleasant nip in the air. Even as the sun gently shines on the Himalayan glaciers, it’s time for the autumn flush, the third harvest season of the year.

Autumnals from Darjeeling, as author Jeff Koehler puts it, have “quite the presence and no impatience.” The teas picked at this time have a laced woody, almost musky, quality. They carry a subdued and understated refinement. While the world fusses over the spring and summer flushes, the autumn teas command their own following. They lend themselves to quiet reflection, paired perhaps with jazz or classical piano playing in the background, the scent of a well-worn armchair accentuating the mood… a great evening tea, smooth and easy to drink.

Late autumn brings fine selections from the Nilgiris, where the season’s only beginning to peak. The Nilgiris autumn teas, with their heady mountain flavors and spicy accents, offer a very accurate picture of what’s in store when the weather turns the corner.

Illustrations by Handmade by Radhika

Originally published on Still Steeping, the Teabox blog, on June 17, 2015. Lightly edited for clarity in October 2026. Taste the season: Darjeeling Giddapahar Autumn Chinary Black, or explore all our autumn flush teas.