While not traditionally a tea-producing nation, products from Nepal have become increasingly popular as the tea industry grows. Because of their close proximity to Darjeeling in India (across the Himalayas), one can often detect similar notes in the flavor profile. Arbor Teas currently offers two single-origin organic teas from the Kanchanjangha Tea Estate in Nepal.
Sweet notes of brown sugar and baked molasses cookie with a smooth body
Smooth, dry and bright cup with vegetal, toasty, and citrus notes
Our Nepal teas come to us from the foothills of the Himalayas, specifically from the Kanchanjangha Tea Estate (KTE) in the Panchthar region in northeast Nepal. KTE is located just north of Ilam, which is the most famous tea growing region of Nepal. At KTE, the tea bushes grow on steep slopes located about 6,000 feet above sea level. The farm operates like a cooperative, though "estate" is in the name. Unlike most estates in Nepal and India, tea farmers at KTE are paid by a day’s work rather than the weight of the tea leaves picked, and their schedules are flexible.
Tea cultivation in Nepal began in the late 1800s, and experienced a serious uptick in growth during the 1950s. Nepal has been working to distinguish its own flavor profile from Darjeeling teas and has been pushing to produce higher quality teas, while still embracing its Himalayan roots. Both of our organic Nepalese teas are hand-plucked, orthodox teas. Orthodox teas maintain the integrity of the tea leaf during production without damaging the leaf structure as much as other types of tea production. The two Himalayan teas we offer are both exceptional examples of orthodox tea production happening in this region.