Good morning, dear tea friends! A heavy dampness hangs over this late fall morning, and I eagerly reach for my glass teapot to start my morning tea ritual. Today I’ve chosen a rich, fruity selection from Nepal. This tea is from the Mist Valley Estate, located at an elevation of 4,200 feet in Jitpur, Ilam district, eastern Nepal.

I’ve read that Nepal started growing tea from seeds gifted to the Prime Minister from the Chinese Emperor many years ago. Unfortunately, due to political turmoil and economic struggle under an autocratic dynasty, the tea industry failed to grow there at that time.

In the 1950s, a new democratic constitution was written in Nepal causing a shift in the political system there and opening up the country to the rest of the world. The tea industry started to grow with help from private and public investment and has been growing there ever since.

I steeped the tippy leaves for 3 minutes with boiling point (212F) water.

If you love a second flush Darjeeling then you will love this selection. The aroma is fragrant with dark grape notes. These notes carry on into the cup where they are joined by notes of stone fruit.

I love the balance of honey sweetness and brisk astringency in the red-amber liquor.

Nepal produces some amazing teas, a great value compared to their pricier Darjeeling cousins.

The warmth of this rich tea in my cup has chased away the chilly damp and restored my spirits.

What’s in your cup today?

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson