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“This is easily one of my favorite teas. I read the other reviews before writing mine, which is probably a no-no, but my tasting notes are a bit different, so take it for what it’s worth. When...” Read full tasting note
“I remember Todd’s reaction when he sampled this tea at the SF Tea Fest, so when I came across the Nepali Golden Black at the co-op, I bought a modest sample. Sweet and smooth with a predominant...” Read full tasting note
“I tried a sample cup at the San Francisco International Tea Festival and had to buy some on the spot. I don’t collect a lot of black teas, mostly green. My favorite is houjicha. But this black tea...” Read full tasting note
Origin: Ilam, Nepal
Garden: Tinjure
Infusion Suggestion: 210, 3.5 min
Certifications: Rainforest Alliance Certified
Tasting Notes: Chocolate, Dark Honey
Nepali farmers make this rich black tea incorporating the bud and first two leaves of the tea plant. The abundance of golden tips give the tea its name and unique honey-chocolate sweetness. The teas are processed in Nepal’s first cooperatively run factory Tinjure, named for the three hill communities that united to create these teas.
Taste: Nepali Golden Black surprises many tea drinkers by its elegant appearance and lightness in the cup. While rich and complex in taste, this tea does not leave one with the dry-mouth feel typical of black teas. The smoothness of this tea highlights its subtle chocolate undertones and makes it eminently drinkable. Nepali Golden Black is perfect for both hot and cold brews. A forgiving leaf, it can be made lighter or darker depending on one’s preference.
Production: Black teas go through a 4-step process to become the tea that ends up in your cup: withering, rolling, oxidizing and drying. The blackening of the tea comes when the cell wall is broken and the tea leaf is exposed to oxygen. Nepali Golden Black has an unusually high bud count and is largely unsorted, meaning most of the bud-set is still intact.
Region: Ilam is Nepal’s best-known tea growing region, opposite of Darjeeling on Nepal’s eastern border and catching views of Mt Everest hundreds of miles in the distance. While tea has long been part of Ilam’s history, “Nepali” tea is just beginning to gain recognition in the world market. As Darjeeling teas become increasingly difficult to obtain, Nepali teas continue to gain in popularity.
Growers: The Tinjuree Cooperative is Nepal’s first cooperatively owned and operated factory. In the early 1990s, local villagers banded together and sold their harvested green leaf collectively to a nearby factory. In 2013 they raised the funds to establish their own processing facility to produce finished tea. Today the Tinjuree Cooperative is comprised of 240 members who both grow and process the tea.
Impact: By processing their own teas as a co-op, farmers at Tinjure earn 40 times more than selling the same green leaf to privately run factories. By placing the value of the finished tea back in the hands of those making it, the hope is that youth leaving rural communities for the cities may be enticed to come back and pursue economic opportunities in tea.
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This is easily one of my favorite teas. I read the other reviews before writing mine, which is probably a no-no, but my tasting notes are a bit different, so take it for what it’s worth.
When drinking this tea, it reads to me of roasted nuts, malt, caramel with a wonderful clean finish. The tea has a medium-deep taste. Its aroma reminds me sweet nutty tobacco leaves of a really good cigar. I’ve done 2-3 infusions at slightly longer times and each time it’s wonderful.
Flavors: Caramel, Malt, Roasted Nuts
I remember Todd’s reaction when he sampled this tea at the SF Tea Fest, so when I came across the Nepali Golden Black at the co-op, I bought a modest sample.
Sweet and smooth with a predominant honey aroma and taste and some underlying cocoa. There are also hints of graham and brown sugar in the aroma. Some returning sweetness presents.
Does well western with leaf amount as low as 2 grams and as high as 4 if you want a thicker, coating brew. With less leaf, I steep for the recommended 3.5 minutes and with more, 3 minutes. Good for a second, longer steep and a third if you like to push it.
Nepali Golden Black is a simple and easy-drinking yet satisfying tea. Good stuff and making me question whether I really have an aversion to honey flavors.
I’m glad you like it! I will definitely be restocking this one when I run out. I get three steeps out of it too.
It is a very nice tea. I’ll never forget seeing you sip it. A look of quiet satisfaction and joy while you savored it. Your reaction reminded me of one of my good friends (Visigoth here on Steepster, but he doesn’t review) :)
LOL, great description! I do tend to show things plainly on my face.
I tried a sample cup at the San Francisco International Tea Festival and had to buy some on the spot. I don’t collect a lot of black teas, mostly green. My favorite is houjicha. But this black tea is great.
It took me a few tries to get the amount of leaf just right. I may need to buy a tea scale. Now it tastes just like the sample they served. I get a smooth black tea flavor with strong honey notes and scents. It doesn’t taste bitter at all, but rich and full of light, whatever that means.
Flavors: Honey, Tea
