Do you want to learn more about tea? Or are you here simply because you want to taste the finest tea Nepal has to offer? If it is indeed the latter then please follow this link here to shop our range of premium green, black and green teas.
So why buy tea from Nepal? Many of you have likely heard of famous tea estates in China like Yunnan or Fuijan or in India; Darjeeling and Assam and of course there's Kenya and Sri-Lanka who are also big time tea producers. But I'm guessing you did not know that Nepal is one of the top 20 tea producing nations in the world. I won't quote you how many tons of tea etc. as that is no way a good enough reason to buy tea!
In brief what set's our Nepali tea apart from other teas?
It's...- Grown at an altitude
- Orthodox
- Organic
- Clonal
- Socially Responsible
We only sell tea from one very special tea estate in the Dhankuta region of East Nepal, just 80km west of Darjeeling. The tea estate lies at an altitude of 3300 to 7300 feet above sea level, cradled below the Makalu range of mountains. Here's a quick pic we took on our recce of East Nepal looking over at Mt. Kanchenjunga - we took a week out and went for a motorbike ride there to explore the area, visit the tea estates and generally be a bit adventurous on our adventure bikes!
And back to tea... the tea estate only grows orthodox teas, meaning the process of growing the tea is done traditionally; plucking, withering, rolling, oxidising and drying. In contrast to the CTC method which is a mechanised method to crush-tear and curl the tea, rather than by handling it with great care as done in the orthodox fashion. It is not only the fact that it is picked by hand preserving the whole tea leaf, but also there is a science to the withering, rolling and oxidising of tea leaves so the correct amount of each is performed in order to fully extract the greatest flavour possible from that variety of tea leaf.
Now if you did not already know and appreciate the difference between CTC teas and orthodox teas, I hope you do now. Orthodox teas are what tea is really all about, the need to add sugar, milk or sometimes lemon is only for CTC teas. Which I do enjoy also thanks to my sweet tooth, however drinking tea for health and wellness, where you take a sip and instantly feel soothed, calmer, and with a clearer head. Now that is orthodox tea...
Below is a quick snap of the Koshiv River (East Nepal, also taken on our trip) looking like a silver thread woven into the valley floor.
The teas we sell are also all certified organic and clonal, meaning you can be sure to get that same refreshing taste you so enjoyed time and time again. particular type of tea plant clones are selected based on certain attributes like the aroma, but also for it's resistance to pests and even drought. These appealing attributes make growing the plant for commercial use is made more reliable, whilst also majorly reducing the need for external chemical-based help.
Still not sure? Well if you are anything like me then you also believe the people behind the tea are crucial to the quality and taste. 95% of the workers on the tea estate are Nepali women, the job not only helps provide them with livelihood but also is sustainable and profitable employment that supports the community as a whole. Nepali women are not given many opportunities, especially in rural areas, to earn a living. So supporting a tea estate which gainfully employs a remarkable majority of Nepali women is certainly worth mentioning.
Please don't forget to have a taste of one of some of the finest teas in the world, you can browse them by clicking on this link.
