Mountain Hand Rolled 2021 Mann, Himachal 70g

The Garden 

At Lalani & Co, we’re always looking for new origins and unusual teas to bring into our collection, which are the most delicious of their region. The Mann garden is in the foothills of the Himalayas, in a region of India called Himachal Pradesh. Starting at Darjeeling, follow the line of the Himalayas to the north-west and you’ll go through Nepal, then back into India, in Himachal Pradesh.  Many tea drinkers have never heard of teas form this region as it doesn’t receive the same attention as Darjeeling or Nepal. The Mann tea garden has been in the same family for six generations. The garden sits at about the same elevation as some of the highest Darjeeling gardens (6,000ft), making fine, high-elevation Indian teas.

Picked early in the 2021 season on the 2nd April at 4,000ft from China hybrid varietals. The freshly picked tea leaves were lightly sun withered (wilted) at first. Sun withering often gives a more layered, three-dimensional flavour compared to indoor or machine drying. The leaves are carefully hand rolled and very lightly oxidised, followed by drying, to give a complex, expressive, light black tea, with excellent leaf shape and flavour structure.

 This tea is like a delicious symphony of woodland aromas, almost like walking your way through the woods in spring. You can taste the freshness of the air and nature during the early spring when this tea was picked. There are hints of young flowers, unripe fruit, leaves, herbs, and sappy wood, with a touch of minerality in the finish.

We like this tea infused with 3g:150ml at 80˚C for 3 mins which gives the most balance of all the flavours. Feel free to try other temperatures if you prefer.