Organic Himalayan Snow Buds White

This organic White tea was grown in gardens situated at an elevation of between 6900 to 7300 feet in Nepal. The only other tea in our line-up cultivated at this soaring height is the Li Shan (Pear Mountain) Oolong from Taiwan.

The history of White tea in Nepal spans only the last 18 years. What makes this White tea distinctive is that the leaves have been hand-rolled, a step definitely not seen in the traditional White teas from China.

The pick for this Himalayan White is one bud and a leaf, and after withering, the budsets are lightly rolled by hand and then directly dried in a specially designed dryer to suspend any oxidation that may result from the rolling.

(For comparison, consider the above in contrast to standard Green tea processing: withering, de-enzyming by heat, then rolling, and drying.)

As the name suggests, the dry appearance is lovely to begin with, and with the first sip, it is as if a flower had bloomed on the palate. The natural, lively floral character fairly pops, and the finish is one of freshness. (And good news from one grower there, who reports little damage to the tea gardens from the last monsoonal system in S. Asia.)

The cup is a pale straw-gold, and the first impression is of sweetness. Then, palate memory kicks in and one senses a definite affinity with Mutan White teas. The aroma is not quite floral, nor of toasted grains, but yielding a very delicate, dried vegetal note. All in all, a good value organic White for those who enjoy the minutiae of tea processing.

This White was produced in mid-summer when weather conditions were considered suitable for this type of processing. A few weeks later, the same cultivar was used for Black tea.

Brewing Instructions: Use 1 rounded teaspoon (3g) dried tea leaves per 6 ounces of spring water heated to 160° to 170° F. and steep for 3 minutes or longer.