Nepal black tea
Orthodox black tea from the eastern hills of Nepal, grown on the same ridge system as Darjeeling and made in much the same way. The teas are close enough that the main practical difference is price and recognition rather than character, which is precisely why they are worth knowing about.
Character
Aromatic and brisk, frequently carrying a muscatel note close to a Darjeeling second flush. Quality varies more between producers here than it does across the border, because the sector is younger and more fragmented.
- Flavour
- Fruity, Floral, Woody
- Aroma
- Stone fruit
- Mouthfeel
- Medium, Drying
- Complexity
- Moderate
- Notes
- muscat, wildflower, green wood
- Aftertaste
- Bright and moderately drying.
Moderate intensity: noticeable weight or grip, but neither dominates the cup.
Provenance and production
- Origin
- Nepal
- Region
- Ilam
- Oxidation
- Heavily oxidised
- Harvest
- Second flush
- Processing
- Withering → Rolling and shaping → Oxidation → Drying
Brewing
Western brewing (teapot or mug)
1–1.5 g/100 ml · 88–94 °C · 1 authored infusion
Gongfu brewing (gaiwan)
4–5 g/100 ml · 90–95 °C · 5 authored infusions
No caffeine estimate is authored for this tea. TeaHQ does not infer one from its category, because category predicts caffeine poorly — matcha and gyokuro carry more than many black teas.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a lower price means lower quality rather than lower recognition
If you like this
Grouped by why they were suggested, strongest reason first. Nothing here is a blended score — a suggestion appears under the best reason that exists for it, and never under a weaker one as well.
Editorially linked
Someone wrote down why these two belong together. The note below is theirs.
- Darjeeling second flush
The same ridge system across the border, comparable muscatel character, and considerably less trade recognition.
Similar sensory profile
Shares controlled flavour, aroma and mouthfeel descriptors. A looser match — two teas can share descriptors and still taste nothing alike.
- Zi Juan black tea
Shares 5 descriptors with Nepal black tea: fruity, woody, medium, drying and stone fruit.
- Anamalai tea
Shares 4 descriptors with Nepal black tea: fruity, woody, medium and stone fruit.
- Assam first flush
Shares 4 descriptors with Nepal black tea: floral, woody, medium and drying.
- Ban Tian Yao
Shares 4 descriptors with Nepal black tea: fruity, floral, medium and stone fruit.
- Darjeeling muscatel
Shares 4 descriptors with Nepal black tea: fruity, woody, medium and stone fruit.
- Keemun Hao Ya
Shares 4 descriptors with Nepal black tea: fruity, floral, medium and stone fruit.
- Kenyan orthodox black tea
Shares 4 descriptors with Nepal black tea: floral, fruity, medium and drying.
Written comparisons
Where TeaHQ has set this tea against another in full, rather than deriving the comparison.
- Darjeeling vs Nepali tea — Neighbouring Himalayan estates growing the same cultivars at the same elevations, separated by a border and a great deal of reputation.