Rare Muscatel Gold is a second-flush black tea from Gopaldhara Tea Estate near Mirik in India’s Darjeeling district. Picked in early summer, it is graded FTGFOP1, a whole-leaf grade that includes young leaf tips.

The tea is made from tender leaves and buds picked from old tea bushes of Chinese origin. The leaves are well oxidized, giving the finished tea its dark brown color, with golden tips scattered throughout.

It brews to a deep orange color and has a full, smooth flavor. Its natural sweetness recalls Muscat grapes, with notes of ripe fruit and a subtle woody finish. Steep it at about 85°C for 4–5 minutes and serve it plain to let the muscatel character come through.