Nigel writes:

[...]

Oxidation is limited by using a very hard wither (dries the leaves
out). Biological systems need water in which to react - low water =
little oxidation. Very hard wither can be done at high elevation and
low humidity (thus early season flushes and tops of mountains are
conducive). Cannot be achieved in wet - hence "Rains Darjeelings" and
"Autumnal Darjeelings" have the black tea character that they used to
have before hard withering became the norm (in the 1950's).

So were even first flush Darjeelings fairly black in the '50s? If so,
I wonder how they withered the tea then - less time or what?

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html