Man Sikkim Tea for Fun Times

Giddephar Autumnal Clonal Darjeeling 26.7%
Giddephar Autumnal Clonal Darjeeling 26.7%
Assam A from Toklai Tea Research Station 26.7%
Tigerhill Old 72 from Darjeeling 6.7%
A Castleton clonal Darjeeling 6.7%
A tasty Keemung Mao Feng 6.7%
A Sikkim from the Temi Tea Gardens 0.0%
A Raming Thai Organic Jasmine 0.0%
A Nilgiri Thiashola, Organic, Flavourful 0.0%
Delightful Lovers Leap from Nuwara Elyia 0.0%

The chart above is the results of a poll I did, where I asked people to guess my favourite tea.

The poll had some flaws.

For example, I added Giddephar Autumnal Clonal Darjeeling twice, and despite that, it came equal first (twice). A combined total of about 53% suggested this was my favourite tea.

I do love it, but that’s not it.

The next most popular was the Assam A from Toklai Tea Research Station. Sorry, but I made this tea up.

Toklai/Tocklai is indeed a tea research station in Jorhat, Assam. They are about to hold an international conference that I would love to attend, but won’t be.

They don’t actually sell tea, so 26.7% of respondents have egg on their faces.

Then we move onto the other fictitious tea. Whilst there are certainly Tigerhill teas, I made up “Old 72“.

The last two teas to get any action were the Castelton Clonal and the Keemun (spelt wrong on the poll) Mao Feng.

I like the Castelton, and love the Mao Feng. Both teas of great quality – but neither are my favourite.

So, that leaves four teas that got no votes. None at all.

The Thiashola and the Lover’s Leap are truly magnificent black teas. Get hold of them and try them.  Particularly the latter.

The Raming was something I enjoyed in Thailand (as per my nine blogs on travel in Thailand) and I like it very much, but it’s nowhere near my favourite.

That leaves the Sikkim Temi.

Yes. that’s it.  A humble TGOFP1 from a small state in India that many people have never heard of.

I can’t explain why I love it. But I bought 100 grams in 2006, then another, then another.

In 2007, on the day we bought our since-gone tea shop, I heard that there would be none in Australia for at least 12 months. I found 11 kilograms in a  warehouse and bought the lot. I decided not to sell it in the shop, though I hid a kilo under the counter to treat regulars.

Whilst we gave away or shared about three kilos, we drank the rest at home. Took just over a year. You do the maths – that’s a lot of cups of tea.

It’s still hard to get in Australia – so much so that I think I might start importing it and selling it. If just to have kilos of it again.

It would be terrible if no-one bought it and I had to drink it all myself.

5 thoughts on “Man Sikkim Tea for Fun Times

  1. Oh God, I *LOVE* Sikkim Temi teas. I’ve had two thus far. Both were 2010s, first and second flush respectively. I preferred the second flush to the first…way more fruit notes. And sweeter!

    This is where you can find first flush Sikkim, it’s a UK site.

    http://www.chateaurouge.co.uk/teas/black-tea

    This is the one I got the second flush from:

    http://www.goldentipstea.com

    (Okay, technically, the ones I got were review samples, but still…topnotch stuff.)

  2. Why didn’t I vote? How could I have missed out? Anyway, had to chuckle about this post. I would have lost, I’d have guessed the Keemun. I confess that since some of the names were made up, I kind of didn’t believe “this-a**-hola'” of a tea was for real.
    Well, one learns.
    As to the Sikkim tea you mentioned, now I want it! I think I”ll buy it. So I can see what it’s all about. If a tea stir’s my dear Robert’s heart, or taste buds, or both I’ve got to try it. Of course we can always swap, I’ll send you a packet of Sikkim and you send me some of that fine Daintree. I know, I know you tried.
    As always I truly enjoy reading your posts.
    J.

  3. I think I went for ‘Old 72’.

    If you gave me the survey again, I might vote for the same one. Solidarity. If it’s not a real tea, it *should* be.

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