When prepping breakfast, I learned that I can’t use my toaster oven and kettle at the same time. That was an interesting discovery that made for a two-step breakfast: bagel first (since the toaster oven was already on) and tea second.
Another discovery: Nepali Breakfast by Nepal Tea is not a straight black tea like I thought it was. When I opened the package, I immediately got a big whiff of masala spices which surprised me. Upon closer inspection of the package, it turns out the package says black tea + spices so I guess this confusion is just on me. Oops.
Anyways, when brewing this up, I did so according to the company suggestion on the package which is to steep the tea in boiling water for 5 minutes. That is against my usual steeping parameters but hopefully Nepal Tea knows best.
After steeping the tea I brought up the Nepali Breakfast page on the Nepal Tea website only to notice that the site says to use not quite boiling water for 4-5 minutes. I also noticed on the Nepal Tea website they recommend steeping this with milk and/or sugar. Again, I did not see this until after I steeped the tea so I did not do this.
Trying the tea, the first thing I noticed is how much sugar probably would have helped this tea. I normally don’t add anything to my tea (unless I am having a latte or smoothie, etc.) but this tea is more bland than the scent of the dry leaf would have you expect. I think perhaps sugar might coax out those spices nicely since nothing really stands out. With that said, despite the fairly harsh steeping parameters, there is no bitterness or astringency here. Mostly just some cinnamon, a touch of clove, maybe a little pepper and a smooth black tea that doesn’t really impart much flavor.
I think this tea has potential but for me it fell short. The smell of the tea really had me thinking I was in store for a punch of spice but barely got a tap on the shoulder.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Nepal Tea
Description
Start the day the Nepalese way with our unique Masala Chiyah.
A blend of Orthodox, CTC teas and our special masala spice mix. Experience the color of CTC, flavors of Orthodox with the ‘zing’ of the home-made spice mix.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Kathmandu Cosmos from Nepal Tea LLC. . . .
Before I get to my tea tasting time with Kathmandu Cosmos from Nepal Tea LLC I thought I would give you a little geography lesson.
Kathmandu is the capital city of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal which is the largest Himalayan state in Asia. It is the largest metropolis in Nepal, with a population of 1.4 million in the city proper, and 5 million in its urban agglomeration across the Kathmandu Valley, which includes the towns of Lalitpur, Kirtipur, Madhyapur Thimi and Bhaktapur. Kathmandu is also the largest metropolis in the Himalayan hill region.
As for this tea…Kathmandu Cosmos from Nepal Tea LLC it’s a spicy little number. It has a golden tip base with a hefty amount of spices blended in. It’s considered the company’s Ayurvedic Blend.
It’s not currently in stock on their website’s shop but I thought it was still worth a mention. Especially if you are into spicer teas, chai teas, and Ayurveda Teas.
At the time of writing this review for SororiTea Sisters it says on their website that their Classic Loose Leaf Teas include the orthodox range that is made from only the nest tips plucked from the Kanchanjangha Tea Estate (Nepal’s First Certified Organic Tea Garden) in Panchthar District, Eastern Nepal. All flavors described are from naturally occurring compounds created by the tea plant and crafting process.
It seems like their teas are normally priced between $9.99-$12.99 for about 1.7 ounces and depending on which loose leaf tea you are looking at averages to be about 25 cups. For the quality of the tea leaf I experienced this seems to be at a good price! Certainly a company you should check out in the near future if you haven’t already!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Nepal Tea LLC
Description
This tea may not be available but click below for the teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Silver Yeti from Nepal Tea LLC. . . . .
Every once in a while I crave that light floral subtle buttery flavor that only a good solid white tea can deliver. After drinking quite a few heavier teas today, a solid white tea was exactly what I was craving. Luckily, I had this tea waiting to check out.
Nepal Tea LLC will be launching a Kickstarter campaign in February of 2017 so I thought it would be a good idea to see what they offer to see if I wanted to back them. Here is a bit about them:
Nepal Tea was conceived in May 2016, when Nishchal came back to the US from his trip to his homeland, Nepal. He stayed on the tea farm, which his father started in 1984. After seeing the impact tea-farming had on the community – he wanted to expand on the idea and start a social venture that not only promotes organic teas from Nepal, but also enriches the lives of farmers and creates sustainable communities.
So far, I’m liking what I’m reading and learning about them. Plus Silver Yeti is exactly what my taste buds are craving.
Silver Yeti from the very first sip is smooth, rich, and full of flavor. Wonderfully buttery notes with a subtle hint of a vegetal twist at the end. This tea delivers a silky mouth feel that keeps you coming back for more.
Just fantastic and a perfect tea to enjoy as I’m winding down my day.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Nepal Tea LLC
Description
Silver Yeti is made only from the finest tea buds (no leaves). It is also one of the least processed teas and yet the most expensive one.
Also known as silver needles and silver tips.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Green Hill from Teabox
I am feeling a little bruised and battered by my schedule right now and I thought I would take a few minutes to unwind with a tea break. I really enjoy pairing a green tea with a sweet, in this case a white chocolate truffle, and I find that it only takes a very little of the sweet to satisfy me when I pair it with tea. The bonus is that tea is good for me and is rejuvenating.
This is a Nepalese tea, and I believe it is the first tea from Nepal I have ever tasted.
The aroma of the dry leaves refreshes me immediately and I can’t wait to taste it. In the pouch I could have sworn I detected the barest hint of smoke, but definitely wood and leaves and crisp fall scent. It is the scent of wood newly laid for a fire on the ashes of an old campfire. Maybe the scent of wood was so strong that I imagined the smoke. Out of the pouch, I hold the leaves in my hand, breathe on them, and smell the new aromas released. Now there is a sharper scent, grassy, root vegetables, and an overlying black tea scent, of all things, perhaps a hint of low grown Ceylon.
The leaves are rolled into balls somewhat like oolong tea, but a little looser and softer. They are dark green with silver stripes here and there. When steeped, they unfurl into large deep green leaves.
The first steep is smooth and sweet, really nice with the truffle. Some teas don’t hold up well with food. This was a gem.
The second steep was strong, so strong that the next time I make it, I will cut the second steep short, keeping it around 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Even though it is on the strong side and has an astringent bite, it is just how my daughter likes her greens. This is good to know, because the tea is more versatile to adapt to your moods and personal preferences. If paired with a full meal, I would probably want it more like the second steep to cut through the heaviness of the food and to cleanse the palate.
Third steep – I cut the time back to two minutes. Ah yes, there it is, the woods in fall. Sweet and smooth again. This is a good warm up for a drizzly day like today. The rest of the dry leaves will be my aromatherapy for the day!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: TeaBox
Learn even more about this tea company and what they offer here!
Everest Sunrise from Conundrum Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Conundrum Tea
Tea Description:
This double-roasted black tea has almost no astringency or dryness to it but it contains some very complex, full flavors. It tastes of molasses, raisin, and sweet potato with more subtle hints of grape and caramelized sugar. It has an incredibly sweet aftertaste for a black tea. The orange color of the brewed tea reminds us of a fire and the leaves have a strong, sweet fragrance along with a root vegetable smell which is common for the high-altitude teas of Nepal.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve only had a few Conundrum Teas in the past but what I have tried has been amazing! Right from the start I knew this tea was going to be different and a nice change of pace. The dry leaf had such a lovely robust feel to it.
Brewed this up like a black tea -212F prepped water with about a 4 minute steeping time. Never having this tea before, I wanted to error on the side of caution. I didn’t want to oversteep.
Took my first sip and the description of this tea fits this tea perfectly. Sweet with hints of a sweet potato like finish. Almost and I hate to say it, dirt like? But take that as a good thing. This tea is delicious. The sweetness really mixes well with this malty note that is going on. I didn’t so much get the grape flavor but all the rest I did. Such a cool tea. So many different notes and flavors going on. Each sip I take I sit here and try to figure out exactly what I’m picking up.
This is why I started to drink tea. It is just such an adventure. . .especially when you are drinking a delight like this one. So good with so many different attributes. I think I need another cuppa!