Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Description:
After a short summer season in Nepal, the Himalayan monsoon approaches the foothills with a magnanimous rush. The golden red soil of Sandakphu drinks in this moisture, producing a rare artisan tea that reflects all of nature’s goodness. After plucking, the leaves are 25 percent withered, then rolled in mechanical rollers. The tea is then placed in a shaping machine and further dried, producing uniformly curled leaves. The liquor is a distinctive rich golden color, with a cup that is mild yet flavorful, with a lovely balance of stone fruit and honey. We were honored when the tea was selected the best Black tea by the North American Tea Championship in their 2015 Contest.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I start each day with at least one black tea and at least 3 times in the last 2 weeks I started it with Himalayan Golden Black Tea from Nepali Tea Traders. The good thing is that I really love Himalayan Golden Black Tea from Nepali Tea Traders but the bad thing is that I don’t have any left in my stash!
Himalayan Golden Black Tea from Nepali Tea Traders has the two-toned brown/black leaves that have a medium-strong black tea that feature hints of cocoa powder when sniffed. This was certainly the highlight of my pre-infusion tea experience.
As you infuse Himalayan Golden Black Tea from Nepali Tea Traders the aroma stands up to the water strong! In addition to notes of cocoa powder I could pick up on the cakey and bakey type of black tea that I have been longing for!
Everything comes full circle as you sip this tea. The taste of this Himalayan Golden Black Tea from Nepali Tea Traders is pretty fabulous! It’s strong, deep, rich, cocoa-like, cakey/bakey, and has even a slightly bitter plum end sip to it. The after taste leans more towards a dried apricot. Which ever stone fruit you pick up on I feel there are many tea lovers out there that will love this tea!
Himalayan Golden Black Tea from Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
This tea is available from Amoda Tea.
Tea Description:
This award-winning tea is incredible and unique! Its distinct flavour begins with the soil this tea bush is grown in. In Sandakphu, the soil is golden red and absorbs up the monsoon rains. A mild and silky smooth black tea with flavours of stone fruits and honey.There’s an interesting balance here that is reminiscent of both a Chinese Yunnan and a fine Indian Darjeeling. A Must Try!
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda Tea here.
25% of profits from our Nepal teas will be donated to the ‘Nepali Tea’ Restoration Fund for earthquake relief. Learn more here.
Taster’s Review:
I was really excited when I learned that Amoda Tea would be profiling Nepali Tea Traders with their May subscription box. And I’m thrilled to be trying this Himalayan Gold Tea!
As I’m sure that most of you are aware, in April of this year, Nepal was devastated by a major earthquake and a second major earthquake hit them again this month. Nepali Tea has created a ‘restoration fund’ to aid in the earthquake relief efforts and so I’m very pleased at the timeliness of this box! This is a tremendous opportunity for you to get some fantastic teas and also help out with the restoration efforts!
And I’ve always been pretty impressed with the teas that I’ve tried that were produced in Nepal. I can’t think of any teas from Nepal that I’ve not enjoyed, and Nepali Tea Traders are some of the best of the best that Nepal has to offer!
And of the teas that I’ve tried from Nepali Tea Traders, I think that this Himalayan Gold stands out. The above description suggests that it’s a mild tea, but I don’t know if I agree with that assessment. I do agree that it’s similar to a Yunnan. I get those spice notes that I might experience in a Yunnan, although I think that the spice notes here are even more profound than in the average Yunnan black tea.
This isn’t very similar to a Darjeeling in my opinion though, mostly because when I think of “Darjeeling” I think of a lighter, crisper type of black tea that is sometimes more similar to a green tea than a black tea. I think of the muscatel notes of a second flush when I think Darjeeling. This might be similar to a first flush Darjeeling, perhaps from the estate of Arya. It has a more pronounced flavor, with notes of raisin and stone fruit. I am even picking up on some faint notes of smoke in the distance.
This is more robust than mild, in my opinion. It’s not as robust as say, a sturdy Assam tea, although I am noticing some similarities to an Assam and this Himalayan Gold. For example, I taste hints of malty undertones and a slight caramel-y note that I’d enjoy with a good Assam.
Overall, I taste a lot of similar notes to many different teas from different regions – all in this one very delightful tea from Nepal. I like that I’m getting so many things to enjoy with one tea. This one deserves high praise – it’s a really, really good tea.
Rara Willow White Tea from Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Description:
There are special days in the summer when sunshine is at its best and the tea fields of Jasbirey are shining and almost white. This white tea from Sandakphu is carefully hand-picked during this time to ensure that only one leaf and a bud is plucked. This delicious summer flush is highly aromatic, with hints of orange and lemon. Full leaf, loose tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I know I say this a lot when I review a tea, but this tea is: AMAZING! Seriously, this is one of the best white teas I’ve had. It is so sweet, evoking thoughts of the time when I was a kid and I’d go to Disneyland, and I’d go into the candy shop on Main Street and buy a bunch of rock candy on a stick. It has that kind of sweetness, but with a hint of fruit flavor, just like the rock sugar lollipops from the “happiest place on earth.”
But there’s more to this Rara Willow White Tea from Nepali Tea Traders than just a sugary, fruity sweetness. Light notes of vegetation (slightly hay-like), hints of melon, and a dewy note that is very refreshing.
This tastes a lot like a white Darjeeling tea, which tends to be my favorite when it comes to white teas. This is crisp but also juicy, and it seems to sparkle as it washes over the palate.
The sip starts out with a sweet, juicy taste of fruit, and as the sip progresses, I notice the sugary notes. About mid-sip, the hay-like notes peek through -these are very subtle – and the notes of melon become more defined, as do the notes of citrus. The finish offers a very light, dry astringency, as if to gently pat the palate dry to ready it for another sip. If you wait just a moment to enjoy the aftertaste, you’ll notice a more focused citrus note.
A really remarkable white tea. I’d recommend this to any tea drinker, from the novice who is new to white tea, to the experienced drinker. If you’re one who feels white tea is too delicate, this tea might convince you of the lovely flavor that white tea has to offer. If you’re one who likes white tea, you’re going to absolutely adore this one. I love it!
Wild Yeti Oolong Tea from Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Description:
Our rare tea from Sandakphu has been oxidized longer than many Oolongs, producing a deep caramel color and taste. This is a rich, complex, full-bodied oolong unique to Nepal. Full-leaf, loose tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I received my package from Nepali Tea Traders, this tea in particular really grabbed my attention. I love Oolong teas, and I love it when I find one from Nepal! I’ve had only a handful of Nepalese Oolong teas and I’ve loved every single one of them, so I knew that I was in for a treat with this Wild Yeti Oolong Tea.
My first cup is comprised of a combination of the first and second infusions (following a 15 second rinse). It is sweet with notes of honeyed caramel and fruit. The fruit notes are like a cross between sweet plum and a ripe, juicy peach. Sweet, woodsy tones, and layers of floral tones. A really lovely cuppa!
The second cup (infusions 3 and 4) brewed up darker than the first, looking a little bit like a black tea rather than a dark Oolong! The flavors are stronger: this is a full-flavored Oolong! Nicely round with sweet and sour fruit notes, hints of flower in the distance and warm woodsy tones. Even though we’re enjoying spring at the moment, this has such an autumnal taste to it that it is evoking beautiful, cozy memories of autumn.
The third and final cup (infusions five and six) was still very flavorful, but I did notice the flavors begin to soften. The flavors were less distinct, instead of tasting a clear and well-defined note of fruit, I could taste a subtle fruit sweetness. But, don’t let that stop you from going the distance with this tea and infusing it five and six times, because I also noticed a very interesting brown sugar-y note that was quite a surprise. It’s well worth the effort to keep on steepin’!
A really lovely Oolong from Nepal! If you’re a fan of Oolong, you should really expand your Oolong horizons and try this one!
Sandakphu Hand-Rolled Black Tea from Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Description:
A top-rated Orthodox black tea, only two leaves and a bud are hand plucked for processing. This full-leaf, loose tea is then oxidized carefully until a fine balance of flavors is achieved. This exquisite tea has a smooth floral bouquet with a lingering apricot finish. Tea available in pouches and tin.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I generally like to save my “black tea experiences” for earlier in the day, because I find these teas to be more invigorating than other leaf types. However, this Sandakphu Hand-Rolled Black Tea from Nepali Tea Traders has a lighter body and a crisp, smooth taste (similar to what you would experience with a Darjeeling tea), and I think that it would make an excellent afternoon or early evening tea.
And while I am noticing similarities to a Darjeeling tea, I think that this tea is smoother and less astringent than a typical Darjeeling, and it doesn’t have that wine-like finish of a Darjeeling. Instead, the finish here is – as promised in the above description – apricot!
The sip begins with a sweet, fruit-like note and from there delivers notes of flower and wood. It tastes clean and refreshing. As the finish approaches, I notice the aforementioned apricot. It’s surprised me at just how focused the apricot notes are. There’s no mistaking that flavor for anything but apricot!
The aftertaste is sweet and maintains some of those apricot-y notes. Nice! This isn’t an overly robust or bold tea, but it does have it’s own sort of briskness to it. It isn’t a tea that I’d choose for first tea of the day, as I said before, it’s one I’d want to curl up with on a quiet afternoon, perhaps with a good book.
What impresses me most about this tea is that it’s consistent. With every sip, I get those amazing flavors. It continues to deliver from the very first sip right down to the last. A remarkable tea.