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White Tea

Kumaon White

$14.99

A white tea with real body, somewhere between a floral green and white peony. Fresh notes of peeled cucumber and honeydew melon. More than any other, this tea symbolizes our partnership with farmers. 

Preparation

Steep 1 2 Tbsp /2.5 g | 8 oz | 170° F | 3 min
Steep 2 8 oz | 175° F | 4 min

Tasting Notes

Peeled cucumber & honeydew melon

Origin

Kumaon, North Indian Himalayas

Tea Makers

Champawat Tea Makers

Flavor

Kumaon White stands apart from most white teas in its heft. Rather than leaning toward delicacy, it delivers a full, forward cup with fresh vegetal notes of peeled cucumber. A gentle floral lift carries through to a clean finish, with soft fruit tones of honeydew melon. This tea is also intended to age -- the older, the better.

Origin Story

White tea was not part of Kumaon's tradition.

But we were in a bind. We had presold a white tea, then learned the bushes we planned to harvest weren't ready. In a scramble, we turned to Desmond, a third-generation Kumaon tea farmer in the next valley. He had never heard of white tea, but he was willing to try. He selected leaves from the best bushes in his family's garden, and the result was so wonderful that we still source primarily from those same bushes today.

This is the first Kumaon tea produced specifically for global specialty markets -- a shift away from commodity teas destined for India's mass auctions. For us, it will always be the beginning of a shared journey to write a new chapter for Indian tea.

  • 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

Kumaon White was the first tea Desmond made in the tea factory we launched in partnership with Kumaon farmers. Our farmer partners (90% women) sell their harvest at up to 5x commodity prices and share in long-term factory profits.

We also prepay for Kumaon teas ahead of the season, so farmers get paid before the tea is even made, not after it sells. Every year, April is our favorite month, because it means it's time for another year of Kumaon white.

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.