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drank Kanchanjangha Noir, Nepali Black Tea by A Thirst for Tea
1610 tasting notes

An aromatic, zesty, brisk cup of tea good for a mid-morning cup.

The dry leaf has those musky, spicy and floral notes I associate with Nepali teas, along with dark chocolate, prune and some crispy autumn leaves.

Steeped for several minutes with my baseline 3g:300mL and with hot water from the dispenser at work, the tea is rather geranium floral with a peppery, woody zip. Youthful comes to mind.

Steeped longer, say 5-6 minutes, with the same ratio and at home where I can appreciate the tea more, I notice the aroma: it’s spicy like the taste but with mellowed notes of cherries, dark chocolate, orange blossom and hazelnut.

I expected the brisk quality to become even more pronounced but it ended up filling in quite a bit. The taste mostly reminds me of the dark tannins of rosewood and straw, smoothed over with rich tobacco, dark chocolate and a touch of malt. A cherry candy note never gets too high and a tangy gooseberry tone keeps it from going full-on woody or tobacco.

Nepali teas remain to be a favorite of mine, not often drank but when the mood strikes I hope to have one around. Like this tea, the blacks from Nepal seem to embrace characteristics of both neighboring Darjeeling and Assam to the east.

Thanks for the sample, A Thirst for Tea :)

Flavors: Brisk, Candy, Cherry, Dark Chocolate, Dry Leaves, Floral, Geranium, Gooseberry, Hazelnut, Malt, Musk, Orange Blossom, Pepper, Prune, Rosewood, Spicy, Straw, Tangy, Tannin, Woody

4 comments
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Martin Bednář
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I shall send you a sample of Ilam Pathiwara to find out what do you think about it.

derk
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I’d love to try it, Martin.

Martin Bednář
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A sample is packed for you among a few others. Tomorrow it will be posted.

derk
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Aw, thanks!

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Comments

Martin Bednář
Delete

I shall send you a sample of Ilam Pathiwara to find out what do you think about it.

derk
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I’d love to try it, Martin.

Martin Bednář
Delete

A sample is packed for you among a few others. Tomorrow it will be posted.

derk
Delete

Aw, thanks!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

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This place, like the rest of the internet, is dead and overrun with bots. Yet I persist.

Eventual tea farmer. If you are a tea grower, want to grow your own plants or are simply curious, please follow me so we can chat.

I most enjoy loose-leaf, unflavored teas and tisanes. Teabags have their place. Some of my favorite teas have a profound effect on mind and body rather than having a specific flavor profile.

Favorite teas generally come from China (all provinces), Taiwan, India (Nilgiri and Manipur). Frequently enjoyed though less sipped are teas from Georgia, Japan, and Nepal. While I’m not actively on the hunt, a goal of mine is to try tea from every country that makes it available to the North American market. This is to gain a vague understanding of how Camellia sinensis performs in different climates. I realize that borders are arbitrary and some countries are huge with many climates and tea-growing regions.

I’m convinced European countries make the best herbal teas.

Personal Rating Scale:

100-90: A tea I can lose myself into. Something about it makes me slow down and appreciate not only the tea but all of life or a moment in time. If it’s a bagged or herbal tea, it’s of standout quality in comparison to similar items.

89-80: Fits my profile well enough to buy again.

79-70: Not a preferred tea. I might buy more or try a different harvest. Would gladly have a cup if offered.

69-60: Not necessarily a bad tea but one that I won’t buy again. Would have a cup if offered.

59-1: Lacking several elements, strangely clunky, possesses off flavor/aroma/texture or something about it makes me not want to finish.

Unrated: Haven’t made up my mind or some other reason. If it’s puerh, I likely think it needs more age.

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