White Moonlight is a velvety floral premium organic white tea from the Kanchanjangha Tea Estate in Nepal. With vanilla top-notes, and spring blossoms, muscatel, and melted butter flavors, this Nepali white tea is sure to delight any fans of Bai Mu Dan White tea or lighter Taiwanese Oolong Teas. Also, anyone who is trying to expand their palate in lighter teas will enjoy the amazing complexity that this white tea offers.
Ingredients: Artisan Organic White tea
Origin: Nepal
The Kanchanjangha Tea Estate in Nepal is nestled in the foothills of Mt. Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world, in the eastern part of Nepal near the western borders of Darjeeling, India, and north of the Illam, the most famous tea growing region in Nepal. Situated at an altitude of 1300-1800 meters (4,200 - 6000 feet), the area enjoys a pristine Himalayan climatic conditions to produce highly unique and aromatic teas. Kanchanjangha Tea Estate and Research Center Pvt. Ltd. (KTERC). KTERC is the first certified organic tea garden in Nepal that was established in 1984 by Mr. Deepak Prakash Baskota to rid his community of poverty. It still remains a model social enterprise that runs on cooperative infrastructure and is truly focused on the people and planet before profit.
White Moonlight is definitely not your typical delicate organic white tea in that it does not use the same production methods as traditional white tea. The tender one leaf and bud are hand-plucked during Spring and Summer (First Flush and Second Flush respectively). Unlike other white teas which go through virtually no processing, our White Moonlight tea undergoes a small process which makes it unique and special. The tea leaves are left to go through natural withering for a few hours depending on the weather conditions. After the leaves have sufficiently softened, they are transferred to a rolling machine under low-medium pressure. With a quick 8-10 minute rolling process, the tea leaves release some of their essential oils, which fill the room with an amazingly fresh floral aroma, which is immediately captured and locked in though the drying process. While it seems quite simple, it is truly an art form to know the exact time to capture the aromas and flavors from this organic white tea since it’s processing time is so short. Due to this slight change in the processing format it is not uncommon for people to label this as a newer variety/category of oolong tea.
Some of our customers have described White Moonlight as one of the most intriguing and satisfying teas that they have ever had! No wonder it won the Bronze Medal in the Global Tea Championship 2019 and has also won multiple other awards in various tea festivals globally.
Brewing Instructions
Water Temperature: 175-185 degrees
Water Quality: Best with Spring Water
Amount of Leaf (per 6 fl oz water): 2 rounded Tbl. (2.5 grams)
Steep Time: 2-3 minutes
Number of Infusions: 3 +
White Moonlight may be prepared in a standard teapot, or in your favorite mug or lidded gaiwan. For best results, we recommend that you pre-warm your vessel, and place approximately 2.5 to 3 grams of leaf per 6 oz of liquid, before infusing with 175-185 degree water for up to 2-3 minutes. As with all white teas, White Moonlight can be infused at least three times. Increase the time and temperature approximately five degrees with each subsequent infusion.
The Kanchanjangha tea garden recommends using approximately 2 grams of leaves per 8.5 fl. oz. of water at 180º and steeping for 4 minutes. I've tried this method and while it does produce a very nice infusion, in my experience I find that my above method accentuates the interesting complexities of the tea more. Experimenting with your own temperatures and steeping times is encouraged. Cooler temperatures and shorter times yield more mellow, fruity elements, while hotter water and longer times produce more floral and full-bodied complexities. Always use the best-tasting water you can find, and adjust steeping times, quantity of leaves, and water temperature to your personal preferences.
We highly recommend brewing your tea in a teapot or mug with a removable infuser so that you can remove the leaves at the end of the steeping time. Whole leaf teas of this quality need room to unfurl and expand in the water in order to perform their "magic." If you don't have a removable infuser, you can brew the loose leaves directly in the pot. At the end of the steeping time, pour all of the tea into a warm serving pitcher or pot.
