India: Kevin gives us a great vintage of Jun Chiyabari

One of the industry's most recognized Nepali gardens these days is Jun Chiyabari. They are hard to beat. The garden was planted with small plots of various cultivars, making each tea they make a unique blend. It comes as no surprise that this is currently one of Kevin's favourite gardens, and he selected an exceptional batch from them during his 2018 spring travels.

A truly rare and unique tea

When Bachan Gwayali and his brother Lochan planted Jun Chiyabari, high on the valley slopes they chose to grow some curious tea plants. One was the well-known Japanese cultivar Yabukita. They dedicated a tiny plot to the Yabukita, it is very unusual for it to be growing at 1900m altitude. Instead of the traditional production of Yabukita, which uses steam, this tea is handcrafted with dry heat in Jun Chiyabari’s small machines.

Batch J-21 is a prime example of experimentation and originality. With its unique flavour profile, Kevin could not resist buying the full 400g of this grand cru for you to discover it!

The first infusion reveals a delicate attack, surprising for Jun Chiyabari teas, many of their teas explode on the mouth. The Yabukita makes a gentle entrance, without rushing through the taste buds, with a thicker and creamier liquor. As you continue to infuse the aromas expand in the centre of the mouth (fresh corn, spinach, muscatel, melon) building up to a an prolonged bold finish that seductively lingers for an unexpected time.

A truly rare tea that will be available online only for a very limited time.