The first of a few samples I purchased from Nepali Tea Traders. I had some ambitious plans for today but right now I am drinking tea in my bathrobe and that seems okay with me. :)
These are gorgeous slender leaves that are a mix of dark brown and white. My cup brewed up to be a medium reddish-brown color that smells of walnut and oak. This is slightly reminiscent of a second flush darjeeling but with some mellow character. At first I did not notice the floral character at all, but as the cup cools I am finding it.
To me the flavor of this tea is nutty with a bit of astringency and the fruitiness really comes out in the finish. I used boiling water for my tea but on the website they suggest using water that has cooled off for one minute, so I will have to try that next time. I will update my tasting notes if I find anything has changed. I do seem to get better results with teas from this region and darjeelings with water that isn’t quite so hot. It is easy to drink this plain due to the mellow quality but it would also be nice with a touch of sweetener, definitely no milk.
Overall I was pleased with this, it seems to be a fine Nepali tea.
