A sophisticated Assam grand cru with a rich and smooth flavour that can be enjoyed without milk.
Flavour
Malt, wood, honey and wet earth with a hint of smoke
Harvest
Second flush, Assam clonal P-126 (Panetola 126)
Processing
STGFOP1, Orthodox, Hand picked
Elevation
Low-grown
This second flush Mangalam Assam is produced from an Assam clonal called P-126 (Panetola 126). This distinct cultivar is grown only in select Assam gardens and is known for producing a tea with an abundance of golden tips.
The dry leaves are a mix of chocolate brown and golden with an earthy and fruity aroma. The beautiful dark red coloured liquor is pleasantly malty and earthy with a hint of wood. The abundance of golden tips creates a smooth mouthfeel with a sweet taste that has a hint of smoke, and is strong enough to hold its own if paired with a glass of whiskey.
Try pairing this tea with hearty breakfast foods, spicy meals and rich pastas, like lasagna.
3g per 250 mls (1 cup)
First infusion: rinse leaves with 95oC water for 10 seconds and discard water; infuse for 3 minutes at 95oC
Additional infusions: gradually increase steeping time with each infusion
7g (2 tsps) in 100ml Gaiwan
First infusion: rinse leaves with 95oC water for 10 seconds and discard water; infuse 20-30 seconds at 95oC
Second and third infusions: infuse 20-30 seconds at 95oC
Additional infusions: double infusion time with each additional infusion
3g per 250mls (1 cup) of room temperature water
Brew in a tea flask at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Taste as it's brewing and strain the tea when you like the flavours.
Assam is a state in NE India and is the only place in the world outside of China with a native tea plant: Camellia Sinensis var assamica. Most tea is grown at a low altitude in the floodplains of the Brahmaputra Valley. The region is tropical and the combination of heavy rainfall, high humidity and extreme temperatures creates a greenhouse effect that is responsible for the unique malt taste of an Assam tea.
Assam is harvested only twice per year: first flush (late March) and second flush (mid May-June). However, the second flush is typically more prized than the first flush.
Mangalam Tea Estate has the distinction of being the only tea garden of its kind due its unique style of bush planting. The concept of close planting was created by uprooting original plantings and replanting with 100% clonal bushes with close spacing for greater yield potential. It is also one of the few gardens to produce high quality orthodox Assam from a distinct tea plant cultivar known as P-126 (Panetola 126). The cultivar grows slowly, attracts insects and has a shorter lifespan, and it’s these complications that give greater complexities to the leaves.
This cultivar produces an abundance of golden coloured tips, which give a smooth texture and distinct character to the brew. This Mangalam tea is an Assam grand cru meaning “great growth” and represents the quality of the tea that typifies the essence of the terroir.