Himalayan Night (Jun Chiyabari)

Almost all oolong teas come from China or Taiwan. So it’s always a bit neat when you find one from somewhere else. This Himalayan Night from Jun Chiyabari is a Nepalese oolong, and I have to say, I like it.

I was lucky enough to score some samples while at this year’s World Tea Expo. This one came directly from the Jun Chiyabari tea garden in Nepal whom I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting and conversing with the past two years!

This oolong is reminiscent of both Taiwanese oolongs and Himalayan Tips teas. It’s light, aromatic and pleasant like a Himalayan tea, but smooth with lightly changing flavors over multiple steepings.

I noted apricot and stone fruit flavors and aromas and notes of woody or fired flavors and aromas as well.

The dried leaves are pleasant to smell and remind me of Himalayan Tips while their tightly curled (but not balled) leaves are white, brown and black.

The liquor brews a nice pretty amber and contains only the slightest astringency while drying only the tip of the tongue.

I really enjoyed this tea and would recommend it to everyone, but most especially to fans of other Nepalese teas such as Himalayan Tips.