Golden Temple

Notes of toffee, roasted nuts and malt

Black Tea from Mizoram, India / Harvested in August 2023 / Organic

Our Golden Temple black tea is a first of its kind from Mizoram - the land of the highlanders. It is crafted from organically grown, gold-tipped tea leaves that produce tea with extraordinary texture and sweetness.

The word 'Mizo' means highlander (the name of the native inhabitants) and 'Ram' means land. This Northeast state of India has abundant flora and fauna, shimmering waterfalls, and lavish green fields which radiates a natural charm and magnetic tranquil peace.

The source garden is situated 4,500 feet above the sea level where the rapid expansion of tea gardens dates back to the British Rule in the mid 1800s. The garden’s elevation slows the development of the leaf, concentrates its flavor and sweetness, while the root structure of these trees make a groove into the nutrient-rich soil, adding depth to the tea. As a result, the leaves are whole, and release their flavor slowly. It’s a tolerant tea when it comes to temperature and time, so it doesn’t require total accuracy.

Making this tea takes over 40 hours. During that time, the leaves were withered indoors with ample airflow, gently oxidized, rolled by hand and pan-roasted. The resulting tea is malty, sweet and smooth with a lightly roasted aftertaste. You will notice similar elements with respect to aroma, texture, and taste that are found in many black teas from Assam and Meghalaya.