Tea Review: Nilgiri Forest (Young Mountain/Tea Studio)

Nilgiri Forest

Young Mountain & Tea Studio
Type: Green
Origin: India, Nilgiri
Product Description:

Nilgiri Forest is made with only the flattened stems of the tea plant.  The all-women team at Tea Studio was inspired by Japanese twig teas to make this rare green, using the woody nature of the stems to evoke flavors of warm grains and fresh green sugarcane.

Temperature: 190° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3-5 minutes

The dry leaf aroma has notes of dry hay, sweet oats, nut shells, and a hint of spice. 

The light yellow infusion has a sweet aroma with notes of sun-warmed vine plants (tomato, vine beans) and corn.  The taste is lightly sweet with notes of cooked grains, steamed vegetables, corn, and nuts with a long, sweet finish.  

This is a delightful stem tea and also very forgiving.  Longer steeping times and higher water temperatures will still produce good results.  For the purpose of this review, the initial steeping time was 3 minutes followed by 5 minute steeps.  The fullest flavor was in the first two infusions with more sweetness developing by the second and a slightly mellower profile by the third.  On a more personal tasting note, the aroma brought back happy memories of my grandmother's greenhouse in the summer.  

This tea was purchased from Young Mountain at the 2023 Tea Fest PDX and is not currently available on their website at the time of this review.  It's well worth checking for updates.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Organic Nepali Green Pearl (Young Mountain)

Organic Nepali Green Pearl
Young Mountain
Type: Green
Origin: Nepal, Ilam District
Product Description:

Nepali Green Pearl is a fresh, strong organic green tea rolled into tight pearls. The tea makers at the Tinjure Cooperative carefully shape the leaf using heated pans, coaxing out a wide range of aromas and flavors that are best explored by steeping the same leaves at least twice.

Temperature: 175° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry leaves have a nutty, green, and mossy aroma.

The liquor is pale green with an aroma that is nutty and green with steamed green vegetal/spinach-like notes.  The taste is lightly astringent, green, and nutty with a nutty finish.

The fullest flavor is in the first two infusion with deep green vegetal notes.  I particularly enjoyed the third infusion which, while mellower, had developed a lovely sweetness.

This tea review was written in 2021. This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Tea Review: Indi's Gold (Young Mountain)

Indi's Gold
Young Mountain
Type: Black
Origin: India, Nilgiri
Product Description: A whole-leaf black tea from the Nilgiri Mountains.  Produced in small batches by veteran grower Indi Khanna.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 2 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaves have an aroma of grapes, figs, oats, and seasoned wood.

The golden amber infusion has an aroma of apricot, papaya, and honey with a smooth, sweet, taste of baked fruit and a long, sweet finish.

This tea is very smooth, becoming almost velvety by the second steeping.  Second and third steepings became progressively milder while continuing to be enjoyable, with intriguing floral notes of sweet pea appearing after the first infusion.  While this tea is not currently listed on the Young Mountain website, it can be purchased from several online tea retailers.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Tea Review: Kumaon White Peony (Young Mountain)

Kumaon White Peony
Young Mountain
Type: White
Origin: India, Kumaon
Product Description: This rare spring tea is made using the stretching bud and first two leaves of the tea plant. Harvested just as the plant awakes from winter dormancy, it is minimally processed in order to preserve its natural freshness. Low in caffeine and high in antioxidants, it has delicate aroma with a surprisingly thick body. As with all whites, it has a wonderful sweetness. The unique twist of this tea is a green taste similar to honey melon, which can be attributed to the unique Kumaon soils.

Temperature: 175° F
Amount: 2.5 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaves have an aroma of dandelions and spring greens.

The infusion is peach pink and golden with a wildflower aroma.  The taste is velvety and lightly astringent, with notes of spring greens and sesame and a long, green, wildflower, and sesame finish.

Drinking this white tea is like drinking a spring salad with an impressively long finish.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Tea Review: Ilam Green Pearls (Young Mountain Tea Company)

Ilam Green Pearls
Young Mountain Tea Company
Type: Green
Origin: Nepal
Product Description: An organic spring green tea from Nepal's first co-operatively owned factory.  The leaves are rolled into pearls just before the drying process which gives the tea its unique shape and flavor.

Temperature: 165° F
Amount: 1.5 grams
Steeping Time: 2.5 minutes

The dry leaf aroma is savory and nutty with a mild note of nori.

The infusion is pale yellow-green with an aroma that is savory, green, and nutty with notes of sesame.  The taste is green, nutty, and thick with savory umami.

The slightly cooler recommended brewing temperature of 165° F brought out a thick and delicious umami in the first two steepings.  By the third steeping, vegetal notes had moved to the front with a touch of astringency and the promise of a few more flavorful infusions.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.