Excited to start 2022 by introducing a new tea from Nilgiri winter harvest! This tea is slightly more oxidised than our Nilgiri Highland Black and as the name suggests, it has golden tips in it. We are surprised with new teas from Nilgiri almost every season and we wish it stays like that! Although the main objective of the winter harvest is to preserve the freshness of the juicy leaf, the slight oxidation in this version has made for a delicious and interesting result.
The dry leaf has hints of fruit and honey with a spicy undertone. When placed on the heated ware, you get a fresh floral aroma along with a prominent caramel note. The liquor has a sweet notes of honey and caramel with a hint of ripe fruits. There is a floral attribute which resembles saffron flowers. As the liquor cools down, you can taste some woody and earthy tones, present but not overpowering. There are some interesting spice notes present as well, mostly dominant in saffron, cinnamon and elaichi(cardamom). There is a pleasant astringency when the liquor cools down even further, making sure the last few sips are as refreshing as it can be. When brewed gong fu style, the progression is interesting(read : opposite) with spice notes presenting theselves along with a creamy finish on the first few infusions and the fruity and floral notes presenting on the later brews.
Appearance : Golden
Taste : Caramel, honey, saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, creamy, wet forest, woody
Steeping Time : 3 minutes western style, 15 seconds gongfu style adding 10 seconds every subsequent steep
Leaf to water ratio : 0.8 gram per 100ml for western style, 2.8 grams per 100ml for gongfu styleRecommended Steeping Temperature : 85°C
Recommended Steeping Method : Works well with all styles
