- Harvest: Spring 2023
- Oxidation: 95-100%
- Elevation: 1650+ Meters
- Farming: Handmade small production
Nilgiris Orange Twist grows in the Nilgiri Mountains in southern India in cool, misty climates at an altitude between 1650 to 2120 meters. Its long, dark-colored, twisted leaves soften and unfurl when steeped, producing a golden orange liquid color and a candied sweet aroma. A taste and mouthfeel that lightly evokes aged tangerine peel, a common Chinese herb in medicine, cooking, and pairing with pu-erh tea, Nilgiris Orange Twist is unlike any other tea in our collection in its taste, aroma, and the region it is sourced from.
Glendale Tea Estate
Glendale Estate consists of three tea gardens spread onto both sides of a deep valley, with the factory against a steep cliff. Tea is picked year-round here due to weather conditions including frequent monsoons. The extreme frost in the winter is known to enhance tea flavor because the tea leaves concentrate and protect their cell sap due to longer nights and colder weather, and the wide range of temperatures throughout each day (very cold nights that considerably warm up in the daytime) are ideal temperatures to create tea. At the estate, they pick leaves in the cool, early mornings and use cold, dry air to wither the tea leaves, allowing for a more gradual drying process that maintains the tea’s oils to preserve more natural aroma and flavor. With attention to detail and using intentional, modern technology and natural resources to make quality tea, Glendale tea offers a beautiful taste into the lush, misty terroir of the Nilgiri Mountains.
Steeping Guidelines:
- 5g | 8oz. @ 195-200˚F | 45 sec. - 1 min.
- May be re-steeped multiple times.
- Use a porcelain or glass teapot.
- Drain completely and serve.
