Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Butiki Teas
Tea Description:
Our Hattialli Golden Lion Assam originates from the Hattialli Tea Estate in the Dibrugarh District in the South Bank, Assam region of India. The name Hattialli comes from the words “Hatti Alli”, which means Elephant Road. This name came about because of a nearby elephant camp. The Hattialli Tea Estate is known for golden tippy handpicked teas and the balance of briskness and mellowness of their teas. The golden tips of this tea are longer than the black leaves, which imparts a more golden appearance. This phenomenal malty second flush Assam has baked bread and oak notes. Sweet potato and dried apricot notes are also detectable with fleeting lighter floral notes. There is a fruity sweetness and light astringency present in this truly exceptional second flush Assam.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I find myself in total agreement with the last five words of the above description – this Hattialli Golden Lion Assam Tea from Butiki Teas is indeed a truly exceptional second flush Assam. Wow!
When hot, the flavor is sweet and malty. There is a slight caramel-y note to it, reminding me of the flavor of the warm, caramelized edges of a freshly baked loaf of bread. There are hints of woodsy tones, and it is a very cozy, sort of autumnal taste. The kind of flavors you like to warm up to on a chilly autumn day … but, you still find it perfectly alright to cozy up to these flavors on a warm summer morning too!
As the tea begins to cool (slightly … it’s still hot, just not quite as hot as when I first poured the cup) the flavors of sweet apricot begin to emerge. I’ve tasted quite a few Assam teas in my years as a tea drinker, but, I can’t recall such a distinct apricot flavor from a pure Assam as the taste I’m getting from this cup of Assam. It’s remarkable (and YUMMY!)
The description also suggests notes of sweet potato, and I get those too, but, it isn’t as well-defined as the apricot. To me, the apricot really stands out.
There are a lot of great Assam teas out there, and there are definitely a few that I favor over others … this one definitely deserves to be one of those favorites! It’s really good. I would be very happy to start every day with this tea in my cup!
Jungpana Estate 2nd Flush Golden Tips Darjeeling Tea from Darjeeling Tea Lovers
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black (Darjeeling)
Where to Buy: Darjeeling Tea Lovers
Tea Description:
JUNGPANA GOLDEN TIPS is by far one of the finest available teas. It comes from the prestigious JUNGPANA TEA ESTATE. This tea is special as it has been made with utmost care. The tea is made from the finest clonal plants from the plantations at an altitude of 6000ft. The leaves were handpicked with a trained group of women. The manufacturing process was also done with utmost care.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I adore Darjeeling tea, and some of the finest Darjeeling teas that I’ve ever tasted have come from Darjeeling Tea Lovers! This Jungpana Estate 2nd Flush Golden Tips Darjeeling Tea is a perfect example of the fantastic quality teas that come from this fantastic company.
The dry leaves are beautiful with their golden tips, and they brew up a liquid that is coppery in color and that smells sweet with notes of fruit, earth and wood.
And I like that what I smell is also what I taste. The tea is delightfully sweet without being too sweet. There is a lovely fruit note to this, wine-like, with notes of currant and muscat grape. The finish has a gentle astringency – very slight! For those of you who tend to avoid Darjeeling teas because you aren’t wild about the astringency … I think you’d find this Darjeeling to be more to your liking! The finish is less dry than the typical wine-y Darjeeling.
There are notes of wood, earth and hints of flower to this tea as well. It is quite smooth for a Darjeeling, and I note more body to this … it is not quite as “light” and “sparkling” and in place of the sparkling lightness is a smooth body that is very satisfying.
Another remarkable Darjeeling from Darjeeling Tea Lovers!
Darjeeling Mim from Pekko Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black (Darjeeling)
Where to Buy: Pekko Teas
Tea Description:
Mim is in the Darjeeling area of Northern India. From the town center on a clear day the peak of Mount Everest can be seen. The genus of the Darjeeling tea bush is the Chinese Jat, which gives it the distinctive muscatel character. Because the tea is grown at such high altitudes and in relatively cool weather the bushes do not grow quickly, and as such the production is limited. The best time of the year for quality is during ‘second-flush’ (end May – end June). During this time Darjeelings are incomparable to any other tea in the world. The fragrance and taste is a complex bouquet that reaches right out of the cup. Some would describe the taste as nutty; others find it reminds them of black currants, but most often it is described as similar to the taste and fragrance of muscat grapes.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
For those who have read my reviews, you are probably aware of my love for Darjeeling tea – I’ve never made any big secret of it! It is certainly one of my favorites … and I think that is due to the fact that Darjeeling is such a memorable type of tea! I can still recall vividly my first experience with Darjeeling, and when I find one that is equal to that first tasting, I find myself falling in love all over again. Perhaps, I should say almost equal to that first tasting, because, that first experience was so memorable I think that other teas have a hard time living up to what I’ve build up with that memory! I’ve quite probably tried Darjeelings that were just as good if not better than that first one, but, because I’ve built it up in my mind as such an amazing tea … I think it has more to do with the memory than the actual tea, at this point!
But, really, that’s one of the wonders of tea. How memorable a tea experience can be!
This is truly a fine example of a Darjeeling second flush, sweet, crisp, and tasting strongly of the muscat grape! There is what I’d categorize as a low-to-medium amount of astringency to this Darjeeling. That is to say, it’s there, but, it isn’t as distinctive as some other Darjeeling teas as I’ve tried. Darjeeling teas can sometimes be quite astringent, but I’m finding the astringency here to be quite mild.
The flavor is quite lovely. Muscatel! It has a little less of that woodsy tone that I often associate with Darjeeling here, it’s a little less earthy, and perhaps more fruity and with hints of flower … not so much a pungent floral tone, but more like the taste of the air in mid-spring, when flowers are blooming and emitting their fragrance into their surroundings. That’s what I taste!
A truly lovely Darjeeling – this is one you should try! (And I did notice when I visited Pekko Teas that many of their teas – including this one! – appear to be on sale! Seems like a good time to shop!)
2nd Flush Assam from Tea Horse
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea Horse
Tea Description:
A malty, rich Assam, perfect for a morning cup.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I love Assam. When brewed properly, I am treated with a deliciously rich, malty cup of tea that has the most luscious caramel-y undertones. It’s so good … true comfort in a teacup. However, there is a dark side to Assam, and if it’s oversteeped, it can be bitter. This morning, I experienced that bitter bite from this Assam with the first pot of tea that I brewed.
I brewed it for 2 minutes in my Breville One-Touch Tea Maker using boiling water. The result was a cuppa that was tasty, but with an overtone of bitterness that sort of overpowered that tastiness. After about a half a cup, I decided to try again with this tea, so I lowered the time to just 1 1/2 minutes. The result is a perfect cup of Assam! YUM!
And this really is the ultimate cup of Assam – so rich and malty and delicious. Lots of caramel-y flavor that you might mistake this for a caramel-flavored tea! But it isn’t! This is pure Assam tea, where the malty tones and natural sweetness of the tea meld together to offer a rich caramel-like flavor that is so luscious and lip-smackingly good.
The cup is sweet and delicious – but it also has a heartiness to it, making it an excellent breakfast tea. It would take the additions of milk and sugar very well, although I find it quite good as I am drinking it now, without additions.
This is indeed an excellent Assam!
Nepal Kuwapani 2nd Flush from Stone Leaf Teahouse
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Stone Leaf Teahouse
Tea Description:
Grown in the shadow of Makalu (27,765 ft), the cool Himalayan air currents envelope the gardens to produce a truly unique environment that is best suited for tea. Add the considerable wisdom and experience of the tea manager, and you have the tea we present to you. A fine leaf selection with a remarkable honey aroma, followed by bright amber infusion with a full body. This black tea has characteristic tannins similar to Darjeeling, but distinctly holds up on its own.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
While I haven’t tried a large number of teas from Nepal, I have had several, and I’ve always been very pleased with what I’ve tasted from this country. This tea is no exception. This is fantastic!
The flavor is similar to a Darjeeling, but it has a fuller body and more robust flavor than what I typically experience from a Darjeeling tea. The flavor is deliciously bright, with lovely honey-esque notes that are detectable not just in the flavor but in the inviting aroma as well. There is some astringency to the cup that dries the palate slightly, as if to ready it for another sip. The aftertaste is lightly sweet.
There is a lovely wood tone to the flavor with hints of earth. There is also a delicious dark cacao note in the distance that mingles with a hint of flower. So many wonderful flavors, so deliciously complex, such an amazing tea!
I highly recommend this one!