Tea flushes – Your guide to tea harvest

The changing of seasons is perhaps among the most beautiful phenomena in nature. The seamless transit from summer through winter is spectacular, as are the qualities that each season brings with it. The bloom of flowers, the falling of leaves, warm breezes or snowfall: each season paints a different picture for us and has a way of stirring a myriad of emotions.

Nature designed the seasons to be unique and diverse. As a reflection, seasons elicit unique characteristics from everything else. The best example that I can think of, obviously, is tea. Whether it is the sweet aftertaste of grapes, a light body or a floral aroma, the time of harvest has a big impact on those subtle nuances you enjoy in your cuppa.

The season of harvest is termed a flush and in India, especially with Darjeeling teas, there are five flushes – three major harvest seasons with two intermediary ones. And each season yields a tea that is unique and full of personality, one different from the other.

First flush

Also called spring flush, first flushes are called so because they mark the first harvest of the year. The leaves and buds are picked around March, following the spring showers. Darjeeling first flushes are every tea connoisseur’s treasure, owing to their gentle, delicate taste, rich aroma and light body. Darjeeling’s first flush tea is usually reserved for export since it is highly sought-after throughout the world.

In between flushes

This is tea that is picked after the first flush and before the second. This occurs around late April or early May.

Second flush

Harvested in the month of June, second flush teas are also called summer flush teas since June brings the full glory of summer. The remarkable muscatel teas arrive during this particular flush. The tea is usually full-bodied with a sweet, grapey finish. The second flush tea grown in Assam brings on a healthy competition, with its bold body and strong flavors.

Monsoon flushes

As the name suggests, monsoon flushes come after the rains that follow the second flush season. The leaves are more mature by this time and the flavors lack the delicacy of the spring and summer flushes. The monsoon flush teas of Assam, Dooars and Nilgiri, etc. are often produced by the CTC method and used for blends such as masala chai.

Autumnal flush

This brings the final harvest of the year, with the tea leaves picked around October. Autumnal flush teas are quite delicate, despite being stronger than first and second flush teas. A cup of this brew bears notes of spices and has a full, rich body.

Winter flush

Observed almost exclusively in the Nilgiri Mountains of southern India, these teas are harvested from December to January. In Nilgiri, the term winter flush is used interchangeably with autumn flush, since there is no distinct autumn and winter in the south Indian tropics. Quite the undiscovered treasure, the black teas picked at this time from Nilgiri are intensely aromatic and pack quite a flavor punch.

Originally published on Still Steeping, the Teabox blog, on October 17, 2014. Lightly edited for clarity in October 2026. Taste the seasons for yourself with our first flush teas and second flush teas.