Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Description:
The strength and vigor of Jasbirey Village, in the foothills of Sandkaphu Peak, inspire our traditional Black Tea (Kalo Chia means black tea in Nepali). Partially rolled by hand, this traditional method produces a distinctive, nuanced cup. Kalo tea is characterized by a rich caramel flavor and a lasting gentle finish (because of its high altitude cultivation and extended oxidation process.) Many thanks to our Kickstarter supporter, Aaron Williams, who named this tea – the name means “black tea” in Nepalese.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh wow … I’m loving this tea! It’s rich and sweet with caramel-y notes, and it has a full-body and robust character. This is the kind of tea that I LOVE to turn to for that little “pick-me-up” in the early afternoon when I need to recharge. This tea has some vigor to it and a really delicious flavor.
This is a strong, bold tasting tea, but there is a gentle smoothness to it too. It doesn’t have a harsh astringency. There is some astringency toward the tail, a mild drying sensation. But there is no bitterness. There is no harshness. This is the strong, suave kind of bold tea. As I near the bottom of the cup, I start to pick up on a little more astringency. It’s a little more dry but again … not a harsh dryness.
There are notes of cocoa and caramel, with a sweet fruit note – sweet plum. There are woodsy, earthy notes to this as well. It doesn’t have the same kind of kick-in-the-butt gusto that some teas have, but it has a really pleasing “chewy” sort of flavor to it that evokes thoughts of freshly baked bread. It’s a very satisfying tea.
I steeped this for 3 minutes at 205°F, which is what I usually go with when I have leaves with golden tips. I’m not sure exactly why, but for some reason, I want to be just a little (about 7°) gentler with the pretty golden leaves. This produced a really flavorful cup that is something that I’d love to indulge in regularly. It’s one of those amazing, decadent teas that make you realize just how truly incredible tea is!
Dhulagiri White Tea from Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Description:
Named for Nepal’s “dazzling, white beautiful mountain,” this delightful first flush white tea releases all of the purity and freshness of our Himalayan highlands. One leaf and a bud are hand-plucked and left overnight in the cool spring air for the mildest form of natural oxidation, then gently hand-rolled. Dhulagiri is a sweet, crispy white tea with a lovely floral aroma.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
According to the above description from the Nepali Tea Traders website, this tea was named after the “dazzling, white beautiful mountain.” And that is the perfect name for this Dhulagiri White Tea from Nepali Tea Traders, because this is indeed a beautiful white tea that is positively dazzling my taste buds!
I’ve tried a lot of white tea during my career as a tea reviewer, but, I can’t recall ever trying a Nepalese White Tea – until tonight, that is! And I’m so glad to finally be trying this! It’s so good. The flavor is sweet and refreshing, with a slight fruit note that reminds me of melon, and a hint of vegetation that reminds me of the freshest, newest leaf buds on a bush. Now imagine those new leaf buds with a droplet of dew on it … yeah!
In the past, I’ve often described the vegetal note of a white tea as “hay-like” but, I think that this has a slightly greener taste than that, and that’s why I used the description of a new leaf bud with a droplet of dew. It is clean and fresh and green, but not overly vegetative.
As I sip this, I feel a gentle re-awakening – not really an invigoration – but more like a replenishing of the body and soul from the inside out. And yet, as I sip, I also can’t help but feel a little bit of sadness, because this tea represents the last tea that I’ll be getting from my monthly tea sampler box from Amoda Tea. What I am happy about though, is that I’m closing this chapter of Amoda Tea on a very high note. This is one of the nicest teas that I’ve received in my Amoda Tea box. There are at least a handful of teas that were very memorable from Amoda Tea, and this one definitely belongs in that handful.
An EXCEPTIONAL tea from Nepali Tea Traders. I’ve tried a few teas from them now, and I highly recommend them! Their teas are excellent! If you do decide to place an order from them, be sure to put some of this tea in your cart. You won’t be sorry! This is wonderful.
Jun Chiyabari Nepalese Black Tea from Imperial Tea Garden
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Imperial Tea Garden
Tea Description:
Jun Chiyabari is a luxury black tea (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) with ethereal notes of muscatel that whispers true himalayan beauty. Grown on mountainside elavations reaching 7000 feet above sea level in the Hile Hills Dhankuta district of Nepal. The exceptionally clean air, rich mountain soil and pure sunshine help Jun Chiyabari continually exceed the quality of many darjeeling teas. It is no surprise that Jun Chiyabari black tea ranks so high as a source for powerful antioxidants. With polyphenol levels of 10.7% by dry weight, this is truly a gourmet black tea for the connoisseur and those individuals that desire a healthy black tea alternative.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Having tried a couple of Jun Chiyabari teas, I was only too happy to be in possession of another sampling of this Nepalese black tea. Imperial Tea Garden has the “touch” when it comes to selecting top notch teas, and this offering is an example of what I mean.
This is a delightful “Darjeeling-esque” black tea is very much like a second flush Darjeeling, with notes of muscatel, its compelling fruit notes, hints of earth and wood, and a dry finish that is reminiscent of wine. It has a fair amount of astringency that leaves the palate feeling clean after each sip. The aftertaste is sweet and grape-y!
This tea also has a slightly heavier texture to it than a typical Darjeeling, which I would ordinarily classify as a light or even sparkling sort of texture. This has a texture that is more like a Ceylon.
A really charming cup of hot tea in the afternoon, or if you are looking for iced refreshment, this tea tastes great chilled and served with a sprig of mint!
Nepalese Afternoon Tea from Golden Moon Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Golden Moon Tea
Tea Description:
Nepalese Afternoon Tea is grown at the base of Mount Everest in the remote Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal. The infused nectar of this tea evokes serene notes of lotus, honey and fragrant sandalwood.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I first took a sip of this tea, I was afraid maybe I steeped it wrong or something, because the taste was a little harsh. But then I sat back, and allowed the tea in my cup to cool for a few moments (about three minutes) and took another sip. This time the flavor has mellowed, offering a lovely honey-esque sweetness and beautiful floral tones.
The flavor is vaguely reminiscent of a Darjeeling, but it also possesses some nice malty tones as well, like a fine Assam or Nilgiri. It has a boldness to it, but, like the name of the tea suggests, it isn’t quite as bold as you might want for a morning cup. This makes a much better afternoon tea for those times when you’re feeling the energy levels dip a bit – this tea will perk you right up!
I can’t get over how remarkably smooth it tastes. Especially when I consider how the first sip was really quite harsh. Those few moments of cooling time are essential to this tea – it makes the tea not just “tolerable” but very enjoyable. I also find that as the tea cools, the lotus notes seem to emerge. Very nice, indeed!
Jun Chiyabari Himalayan Evergreen from Rare Tea Republic
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Rare Tea Republic
Product Description:
Beautifully crafted leaves and well-balanced flavor speak to Jun Chiyabari’s mastery of the art of tea making. This splendid selection, grown ecologically in Nepal’s Dhankuta district, is a tea with a rich, buttery aroma, a smooth mouth-feel and a sweet, clean flavor reminiscent of asparagus and lemon. Plucking date: May 15, 2011.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a fantastic green tea.
The above description is pretty spot-on. I can taste the notes of asparagus and lemon, in fact, that is exactly what I tasted when I first took a sip, before even reading the description. It reminded me of asparagus that had been steamed with thin slices of lemon on top; the lemon slowly infusing into the asparagus as it becomes tender from the heat. I can even taste a hint of butter in there. YUM! 
The mouthfeel is light and silky soft, and there is just a hint of astringency at the tail that cleans the palate, and imparts a tangy note that further emphasizes the aforementioned lemon-y notes.
Overall, this tea tastes incredibly fresh and light. It’s an invigorating kind of tea, one that is an absolute pleasure to sip. Very rich in flavor and texture, but at the same time, it has such a crisp, uplifting kind of feeling to it.
This is an absolutely wonderful green tea – highly recommended!