Interview: Shalini Agarwal of Glenburn Tea Estate

Photo Courtesy of Shalini Agarwal

This week I am pleased to present my interview with Shalini Agarwal, who leads the wholesale operations for the Glenburn Tea Estate as the president of Glenburn Tea Direct. Learn about what it's like to grow up surrounded by tea, the challenges of selling Indian tea in the US, and find out about the seminars she's participating in for next week's upcoming World Tea Expo, below.

Interview with Vikram Mathur Of Yatra Tea Company

Photo courtesy of Vikram Mathur

I'm pleased to present my interview with Vikram Mathur, owner of Yatra Tea Company. I first had the opportunity to try Yatra tea at the 2018 World Tea Expo, where I assisted with a tea pairing workshop. I enjoyed the teas I tried, and I was curious to learn more about the company. I recently connected with Vikram, and he graciously offered to answer a few questions. Learn about his tea journey, how he is helping the Indian tea growing community, and what inspires him in the interview below.

Tasting: Golden Tips Tea Spring 2018 Teas

Spring Sonata

I am on a Darjeeling kick after my last review, so I figured I'd keep the momentum going. Golden Tips Tea Company provided a large package of their first flush 2018 teas, and I thought I'd focus on two in particular for this review. The names suggest they pair nicely together, just like musical notes on a page. During my workday I usually listen to a NYC classical music station, so it's fitting that I was able to sample Spring Sonata and Spring Harmony to elevate my workday.

Spring Sonata leaves

Spring Sonata, is an organic first flush 2018 Darjeeling black tea. The Golden Tips website mentions this tea is grown at mid-altitude. The leaves are long and twisted, cloaked in various shades of brown and khaki. There are a few fuzzy buds throughout. When I sniffed the dry leaves, the initial thing I thought of was nut butter. I found this thought surprising, but there is a rich nuttiness, along with the aroma of dried grass and a slight sweet fruitiness. A tempting fragrance that made me crave almond butter with grape jelly.

Spring Sonata wet leaves

The flavor of the brewed tea tells a different story from the dry leaves. It's fruity and floral, with muted notes of honey sweetness. The nuttiness is every so slightly there, in the background. It makes me think of delicate spring flowers and fuzzy white peaches. When I think about first flush Darjeeling teas, I imagine delicate flavors such as these.

Spring Harmony

On to Spring Harmony, also an organic first flush 2018 Darjeeling tea. The website says this is a low to medium altitude tea. The leaves are very different from the Sonata. These are much smaller, but with a similar array of colors to its musical partner. There are quite a few fuzzy buds present as well. The dry leaves smell green to me, not very sweet, with stronger notes of dried grass. The brew tastes fruity and thick, with hints of green. This tea is a bit stronger than the Sonata, which makes sense since the leaves are smaller. It brews up quicker, with more heft. The flavor lingers for a very long time.

Spring Harmony

Since the Harmony has a bit more of a punch to it, I'd pick it as a morning tea. The Sonata is more delicate and smooth, a melodic way to spend an afternoon. The two teas are very different, but both have the slight green and fruity characteristics of Darjeeling. Drink them both in succession, and you'll have a symphonic performance worthy of uplifting a dull workday.

Spring Harmony wet leaves

Thank you to Golden Tips Tea Company for providing the samples. I look forward to trying the others included in the first flush package. To learn more about these teas you can visit their website.

Review: Junpgana Second Flush 2018 from Lochan Tea

 

When you spend time with legendary Tea Man Rajiv Lochan at World Tea Expo, you're sure to be entertained and educated. This 'Ambassador of Tea' sells and grows tea, and is more than happy to talk tea. Rajiv has many years of tea knowledge and his passion for tea comes through loud and clear. If he hands you a sample of tea at World Tea Expo, you know you're in for a treat.

The sample I received is an organic black tea from the Jungpana estate in Darjeeling. This is a 2nd flush tea, picked in late May or early June. The tea was packed on June 6th (World Tea Expo was June 12th-14th), making it extremely fresh. Everyone talks about First Flush Darjeelings, how they are so delicate and lovely. But honestly, give me a 2nd flush (or later in the year), and I'm very happy. I enjoy a more robust tea, and this tea from Jungpana is exactly that.

The dry leaves smell super sweet, fruity, and soft. I love the fuzzy silver buds strewn among the hues of brown. The brewed tea has a very pleasant thickness, and is quite fruity. This combination reminds me of a velvety fruit nectar. It is also a bit floral, with whispers of that 1st flush green-ness. The brew is not nearly as sweet as the dry leaves promised, but still quite enjoyable.

You do need to watch your steeping time with this tea. I used a gaiwan so I could get a real feel for the flavors, but I needed to pay more attention to the steep length. The first time I made it, I got distracted and let the leaves brew for about 30 seconds too long (way too long), and I ended up with a very astringent cup that masked all of the other flavors. Stick with a shorter brewing time and you'll be gifted with a smooth, nuanced cup.

For the catalogue of Lochan teas, you can visit the website here. Thank you for the sample, Rajiv! I look forward to our future conversations.

Interview: Kevin Gascoyne

Kevin Gascoyne (photo courtesy of Kevin Gascoyne)

When I started diving deeper into learning about tea, Kevin Gascoyne's name popped up regularly. I pored over the book he co-wrote, Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties which basically became my 'tea bible', and read numerous articles he's written over the years. I knew the tea house Camellia Sinensis he co-owns was one I needed to add to my list of places to visit. I've had the pleasure of meeting Kevin briefly at various tea events, and at this year's NY Coffee & Tea festival I realized I needed to ask him to schedule an interview. I was nervous speaking with someone who has done so much, and knew so much. But talk with Kevin and you'll instantly realize he's the guy you want to hang out with; drinking endless cups of tea and chatting about all manner of things. We recently had an hour-long phone conversation where Kevin's passion for tea came through in everything we talked about. We discussed his new collaboration on the Tea Studio project, his favorite tea memory, his opinion on tea education, and so much more. Highlights from our interview are posted below.

Tasting: Tea Dealers Thurbo 2nd Flush Darjeeling

I have a real soft spot for Darjeeling black teas, specifically 2nd flush or later. Now before you all start telling me that 1st flush Darjeelings are beautiful teas, I know! I love them. My feelings for 2nd flush are so strong because it's the first tea that me realize there was more to tea than those dusty yellow-labeled bags. This happened when I was in my early 20s, in a fancy-ish restaurant. I asked for tea and was presented with one of those large wooden boxes of tea bags. Unsure of what to select, I fished out a Darjeeling tea. I remember being taken with the aroma, which was sweet and not at all like the musty bags I was used to. The flavor was of course vastly different from the dusty stuff as well. After this day, I became curious about tea, and started my journey.

Ever since then, sips of Darjeeling give me an extra wave of comfort. It's like my liquid security blanket. It was my first favorite tea, after all. That's why when Tea Dealers sent me three teas to review, I selected the Thurbo 2nd Flush to try first. This is a 2016 2nd flush, from the Thurbo estate.

The dry leaves are small and twisted, with lots of fuzzy buds. Colors range from silvery, to green, to dark and coppery. Thave a floral aroma mixed with honey and soft muscatel grapes. It's quite inviting. A familiar and welcome aroma.

I decided to steep this in a gaiwan, because, why not? I wanted to extract a good amount of flavor. The liquor has that light grapey thing going on, with a nice hint of spice and wood. It's ever so slightly astringent, and I find the tea quite enjoyable. I'm thinking this would make a lovely sweet simple syrup with the strong honey and grape notes...I can picture it drizzled on pancakes, stirred into sparkling water, or even in a cocktail...I'll get back to you on that. This may need a bit of brainstorming.

This tea is such a pleasant sipping experience. Perfect for an afternoon with a few sweet or savory snacks. I'm imagining it served outside on a picnic blanket, with a plate of fresh grapes and a nutty cheese. Perhaps not the most expected springtime sip, but perfect nonetheless.

Thank you to Tea Dealers for the sample!

Tasting: Mana Organics Assam Tea

Today's tasting is with a robust organic Assam from Mana Organics. It's a certified organic tippy golden flowery orange pekoe Assam black tea, to be exact.This basically means there are lots of buds included among the tea leaves.

Mana is enabling tea farmers to be self sufficient and organic. This Assam is from the Chota Tingrai Tea Estate, a family owned estate established in 1943. It is an organic 2nd flush tea. To learn more about Mana's organic farming practices check out my interview with Mana co-founder Avantika Jalan. Here are a few details on the company directly from Mana:

At Chota Tingrai Tea Estate, Mana Organics works directly with tea workers and management to oversee more than 100 hectares of certified organic tea land. We make all our compost and bio-controls on site. Additionally, Mana Organics invests a portion of our profits in projects that we operate with our worker communities. We are providing extra teachers for the estate schools, and a waste collection system in the worker villages.

The dry leaves are super sweet and floral. The sweet aroma is full of dates and honey. I'm getting a nuttiness as well. It smells like a selection of delicious snacks! It reminds me of a perfect afternoon respite with a selection of toast, honey, cheeses and nuts. The snacks are on a table topped with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Actually, this Assam would pair perfectly with those snacks. Are you as hungry as I am now? Sorry, on to the tea...

The steeped liquor smells like honey spread on toasted bread. It tastes slightly spicy along with honey, malt, and toast. I want to take a bite of that tasty toast (guess I really am hungry)! There is a slight astringency with a touch of dryness and it works well with this brisk tea. Overall it's a smooth, bold cup that has a pleasing flavor. I have a generous bag of this tea and I've been drinking it every morning. It's a great way to jumpstart the day.

The infused leaves smell sweet and malty, reminiscent of dates and sweet potatoes. I can smell the 'golden blossom honey' we used to put in our tea growing up. This tea is sweet and flavorful and doesn't need any milk or sweetener added. As I mentioned, it is a nice morning tea.

I'm curious to learn more about the company and their organic sustainable farming efforts. An interview is in the works, so stay tuned. Thank you to Mana Organics for this sample.

Steep Thoughts: Avantika Jalan of Mana Organics

Avantika Jalan

There are many tea companies that support sustainable organic farming, but there is often no explanation of what this really means. I recently had the chance to learn more about Mana Organics and taste their organic Assam tea (review will be posted tomorrow). I was curious to learn more about the company, and was able to correspond with Avantika, co-founder of the company, 'agri-specalist', and tea grower. Read on below to learn about Avantika, organic tea farming, and the challenges it poses in India.