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Black Tea

Kumaon First Flush

$18.99

A tart, punchy light black that earned the Kumaon tea factory its first global tea award.  

Kumaon First Flush - 3 oz (85g) is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.

Preparation

Steep 1 | 1 Tbsp / 2.5 g | 8 oz | 210°F | 3.5 min
Steep 2 | 8 oz | 210°F | 4 min

Tasting Notes

Tart berry & candied orange peel

Origin

Kumaon, North Indian Himalayas

Tea Makers

Champawat Tea Makers

Flavor

A floral black tea with a punch, closer to a light roasted oolong than a classic black. Fresh and a little tart, with notes of wild berry and candied orange peel. Paler in color than you might expect, but full in body, and incredibly bright.

Origin Story

Kumaon First Flush carries the full meaning of “first.”

It's the first black tea of the season, from Chura -- the first village to join us as owners of the Kumaon Tea Factory. The bright, cold afternoon we sat in a circle to sign the paperwork to make their ownership permanent, we both took a huge step forward: they gained ownership of the economic engine of the trade, while we evolved from traders of other people's tea to makers of our own.

It's also the farmers' favorite tea. The spring freshness is unmistakable and hard to ignore: the first batch ever made earned the factory its first award in a blind tasting at the UK Tea Academy's global competition.

  • Origin Story
  • Production

Tea Makers

Desmond Birkbeck comes from the only local family that stayed in tea after the British pulled out of Kumaon in the 1920s.

Desmond grew up on his family’s tea garden named Chirapani, which means “split water” and is named for the waterfall at the top of their tea garden. Desmond proudly tells the story of writing to the Tea Board of India when he was 14 years old, requesting that his family’s tea garden be able to sell into the Kolkata auctions.

Now he's considered a founding father of Kumaon's tea revival. We're honored to call him our partner.

Impact

First Flush commands some of the highest prices of any tea we make, and that premium flows directly back to the farmers who grew it. Co-owners of our farmer-owned factory (90% women) receive both a fair harvest price and a share of long-term profits.

To protect what makes First Flush special, we've invested in regenerative agriculture across Kumaon villages, including composting systems, biochar, and restoring abandoned farmland, all funded in part by our commitment to donate 1% of all our sales to the Kumaon factory and farmers.

Our Packaging

Our commitment to sustainability means we offer our teas in several types of packaging:

Tins

Durable and reusable, made from 100% recyclable steel. Labels are not recyclable but made from 50% hemp and 50% post-consumer waste.

Bulk Bags

Tough, resealable stand-up pouches with storing moisture and oxygen barriers. Not recyclable due to a 3-layer structure that serves as a food-safe barrier to keep your tea fresh as long as possible.

Pyramid Tea Bag

Recyclable stand-up pouches with tea bags, strings, and tags made from 100% sugarcane PLA, commercially compostable and degrades into organic matter. For best results, use a commercial compost facility.