About a month or so ago, I received a wonderful email from a man called Siddhant Hardik from Golden Tips Tea. Within the email was a kind offer, with Siddhant asking if I'd like to receive a few samples to feature on this blog. I absolutely said yes, and just this past week the samples arrived.
Golden Tips Tea are a company based in India and have been in business since 1933. They specialise in unblended tea's that are "delivered garden fresh, direct from source".
There is something utterly exciting for a tea lover to receive emails such as I did from Siddhant asking if I'd like a sample kit. To experience something new, a little out of the ordinary, and then to have the sheer, unadulterated joy of writing about it is just heaven and something I attack with nothing less then gusto!
Sadly, I didn't photograph the parcel when it arrived (far too excited and was distracted) but it came wrapped in cloth that I had to cut off. A very unique way of sending a parcel. Inside the box were several different samples. Some black tea's mainly, but also a white tea and a green tea.
Today, I decided to try the Avaata Supreme Nilgiri Green Tea which was included. I have been drinking a lot of black tea so thought green would make a change!
On the front of the packet was some useful information about the tea, which I found interesting. From the packet I learned that the tea:
Came from Nilgiri, India from the Avaata estate.
Was picked on 1st April 2014 and is first flush, which essentially means it's the first picking of the year, in the spring.
There is something really lovely about being able to determine when your tea was picked. It certainly makes for a interesting fact if nothing else!
The leaves of the Green Tea are large as you can see in the picture above and are a gorgeous shade of green. There is something amazing about seeing a loose tea close up. I love looking at the leaves, holding them in my hands, experiencing everything about a tea. And these leaves are so pretty. Full of colour they looked truly inviting.
I set the tea maker and it boiled the water perfectly to 80c and I watched as it infused for the set period of two minutes. It did say on the packet that it could be infused for two to three minutes but I set it for two and thought it was the perfect time.
The tea infused to a light, golden colour.
Now, this is where my recent tea tasting at Northern Tea Merchants came in useful. I learned a awful lot and the most basic - and important - fact that I've learned is to smell the aroma of the wet leaves to get a true sense of the aroma of the tea. So, I tried this and enjoyed every second!
The aroma of this superb green tea is delicate and ever so slightly grassy. But there is a freshness to it which is inviting. That, coupled with the gorgeous hue of the tea made for a very interesting appearing tea. I love green tea and was certainly looking forward to trying this one.
This Supreme Nilgiri green tea is one of the loveliest green tea's that I've tried. It has a smooth, mellow taste to it, and leaves your mouth feeling nicely refreshed. It's has a light, almost honey like element to it, and it's a tea that tastes as though it's bursting with freshness. I love the gentle aftertaste that it has, and totally lacks any sort of bitterness that can come along with green tea, and which often put's people off. It's also addictive and as I write I have a fresh pot brewing away. If you like a light green tea that is soft, gentle, soothing and comforting then this is a perfect choice.
I love green tea's that are flavoured with fruits but sometimes, when you have a perfect green tea like we do here, then it's lovely to drink it pure.
This is an ideal green tea for those who are dipping their toes in the water when it comes to green tea. There are some strong, robust green tea's out there but this is perfect as a starter tea. It's freshness, along with gentle elements are just ideal. If I had tried this seven years ago, instead of a supermarket tea, I would of been a green tea drinker for a lot longer!
This is by far more superior then anything you can purchase in a supermarket. And the prices are good too! You can even purchase a sample size of 10gm's for £1.30!
Golden Tip's green tea is a brilliant example of how a good tea can really enhance your life. I was really impressed by this most delicate of tea's. I found it tasty, and despite it being a delicate tea, it's satisfying and leave's you feeling really good.
Any green tea lover will love this tea, of that I can be certain.
Thank you to Siddhant for sending the samples. I'm looking forward to trying the rest of the samples and seeing what delights are contained in the lovely little box!
No comments:
Post a Comment