A cuppa for the connoisseur: A peek into the complex world of exotic teas

White tea, green tea and even infusions, Priyadarshini Maji demystifies the complex world of exotic teas so that there is no slip between the cup and the lip

Most Indians will agree with this: There is nothing like a freshly brewed cup of tea to get you going in the morning. And there are various options – from the traditional masala tea to black tea or, the latest in vogue, green tea.

Tea lovers across the world are always scouting for new and exotic flavours to suit their palette. If you don’t mind spending some extra bucks, there are luxury brands in India that sell top-end tea. These brands deal with expensive green to oolong, black and white tea, but also offer various experimental blends and infusions of their own. “There are enough consumers and buyers of good tea in the country who are willing to pay the price till they get the quality and value of their purchase,” says Kausshal Dugarr, founder of Teabox.

White Teas

White teas from Darjeeling are the most famous in the world. The Moonlight White tea, also known as silver-needle, is a rare product, handpicked only on a full moon night. “During full moon nights, tea retains more moisture and adds more flavour to the leaves,” says Snighdha Manchanda, founder, Tea Trunk. The Silver Needle tea is crystalline liquor and has a hint of sweetness in its flavor. A variation of Moonlight White tea, Margaret's Hope Moonlight Spring White Tea, has a smooth floral flavor with a velvety texture. The liquor has an unripe tropical fruit taste to it, along with notes of citrus blossom and lily. It costs Rs 30,000 for a kilo from Teabox. 

Similarly, Castleton Moonlight Spring White Tea has super floral notes. It is a late-harvest tea and is one of the top-of-the-line Darjeeling whites. The dry leaves have the aroma of fresh nuts, vanilla, white chocolate, oak wood with soft floral nuances. It costs Rs 45,000 for a kilo from Teabox.

White Bud Yin Zhen is a white bud flavored tea from the Yin Zhen region in China. It is similar in appearance to silver needles and comes with a mild fragrance of fresh cut hay. This tea is grown in close proximity to mandarins and apricots which give it a uniquely fruity bouquet. It costs Rs 28,000 for a kilo from The Good Life.

White Velvet is a white tea from Darjeeling with a velvety smooth taste. This pale liquor comes with an earthy flavour and has subtle notes. It costs Rs 20,000 for a kilo from The Good Life Company, a luxury tea brand in India. 

Teabox's MIM Exotic Spring white tea is a limited-edition tea from Darjeeling. This white tea is a rare tea plucked only after a hailstorm. A shower of hails gives the bushes a surge of natural nitrogen, improving the flavours and richness of the leaves. The dry leaves have notes of hay, toasted almond, milk chocolate and licorice with a gentle fragrance of geranium. It costs Rs 50,000 for a kilo.

Ice Wine tea from China are white downy tea leaves with a fruity flavour. This variety can be infused with raisins and grape to almost imitate white wine. It costs Rs 12,000 for a kilo from The Good Life.

Black Teas

Vintage Cha Qi is known to be a black tea from the northern Himalayas. This tea is plucked in early mornings during winter-end and start of spring. It is manufactured and stored the same day in earthenware to avoid any loss of aroma or flavour. It matures as it ages. It has a burnt sugar and rich toffee flavour and exudes malty notes. It costs Rs 55,000 for a kilo from Anandini Himalaya Tea. 

Exotic winter frost black tea from the Nilgiri hills is plucked during the winters from the estate and is highly aromatic. The liquor is dense with sweet fruity notes, wintergreen oil, wildflowers and dried apricots. It costs Rs 18,000 for a kilo from Teabox. 

Pu-erh is a limited-edition black tea from Southwest China. It is a variety of fermented tea from the Yiwu mountain of Yunnan. This type of black tea is different from what is known as black tea in English and considered red tea in China. It costs Rs 2,425 from Anandini Himalaya.

Green Teas

Matcha is considered one of the most expensive green teas in the world. Japanese Matcha tea is used in Japan's formal tea ceremony. The lighter green varieties of Matcha are sweeter. It is finely ground powder of processed green tea leaves, and it dissolves completely in the water. The top-grade Matcha comes in a bright shade of green. The traditional way to brew a Matcha is using a whisk made of bamboos. This whisk is used to prepare a smooth, frothy Matcha. Tea Trunk offers its own blends of Matcha, such as charcoal matcha, mint matcha and coco matcha. These cost Rs 26,650 for a kilo.

Infusions

Lavender White tea is a form of white tea infused with lavender flowers, orange peel and mint. It has a floral, citrus and velvety taste. It costs Rs 13,500 for a kilo from Tea Trunk. 

Wulong Mun Peak is a rare smoked tea handmade from the first leaf plucked at the beginning of March. The leaves are peach-wood smoked and then sundried. It has hints of peach with smooth buttery taste and notes of chestnut. It costs Rs 70,000 for a kilo from Anandini Himalaya. 

Most of the luxury tea brands are available online on their websites but to get hold of limited editions you have to book in advance. They are also available in their own tearooms, retail stores and also around restaurants and cafes for sips. “Tea could be the next single malt. It has everything that single malt has, an even more,” says Dugarr of Teabox. Possibly, yes. 

 

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