Vahdam Teas

I saw this tea recommended in a book about teas and so had to try it. The flavor is deep and somewhat fruity with a rich finish. There’s a delicate astringency at the end that’s not unpleasant, but the best part for me are the complex tastes at the front. There’s a lot of depth in this tea, and I can tell I’m gonna enjoy experimenting with steep times to get the most out of it.

I’m not usually one to go for white teas but having heard so much about Arya Pearl and visiting their factory in Darjeeling, I decided to give it a try. I have not regretted it. The Arya Pearl is a sublime tea with its floral flavours and a hint of sweetness in the aftertaste. I hope to take in a lot more of its goodness.

I was looking for a true Peshwari or Kashmiri style chai with a green tea base, green cardamom, almonds and saffron. Very difficult to find among a lot of other cinnamon and clove black chais.

It was difficult to brew this to taste. At first I brewed too strong and burnt the leaves at 200 F. It was extremely bitter and astringent. Then I decreased my ratio of leaves and temp to 176 F, and it was too weak and still astringent. The cardamom was quite pungent and prominent; although I love cardamom, it overpowered any other flavor.

Beautifully fragrant with profound floral notes, yet bitter, despite a light touch with time and temperature. Hard to rate. Were it not for the bitter elements, I’d give this an 80’something. But the bitter notes turn me off quite a bit and merit something in the 50s or 60s. I suppose a 65 is about right.

This was tasty. Not an amazing tea but a hearty, malty breakfast blend. I suppose the next stop on my tea journey might be trying to decide which flush of Assam I prefer. I already know I prefer 2nd/Autumn flush Darjeelings. Perhaps it’s the same for Assams. This doesn’t beat Enigma or Signature Assams from Golden Tips, but it’s good.

Oh, and apparently Golden Tips Teas is now Vadham. :)