Nepal Jun Chiyabari 'Shiiba' Oolong Tea

An experimental oolong from Nepal's foremost tea producer, with a most unique story behind it: HSH Himalayan Shiiba is made from tea trees that were originally from Shiiba village ofMiyazaki prefecture, Japan.In 2004 and 2007 T. Shimada san, the family friend of the owners of Jun Chiyabari Tea Gardensince early 1960's brought some tea trees to Jun Chiyabari from Shiiba village.The late H. Shiiba san, college friend of T Shimada san, and the person who sourced these teatrees from the surrounding mountains of his beloved Shiiba village accompanied him in thesecond trip to Nepal in 2007.In Jun Chiyabari these tea trees were called Shiiba Yama Cha to honour the effort of these twogentlemen from Japan.It was always the wish of the late Shiiba san and Shimada san to see really wonderful teasbeing produced at Jun Chiyabari. They specially wished to see and taste delicious teas madefrom Shiiba Yama Cha tea trees. Unfortunately a few months after returning from JunChiyabari Tea Garden in Nepal, Shiiba san passed away in 2008 without seeing his dream ofJun Chiyabari's tea fulfilled.For us at Jun Chiyabari it will always be a great regret that Shiiba san passed away before wecould make any tea from the tea trees from Shiiba and indeed before he tasted tea from the teatrees of his mountain village deep in Miyazaki prefecture. It is therefore fitting that this specialtea made mostly from those tea trees is now called Himalayan Shiiba.Life has a strange way of breaking connections but at the same time giving an opportunity tothose make the effort to establish new connections.Like waterrushing downthe river rapids,we may be partedby a rock,but in the endwe will be one again.- retired emperor, Sutoku in Ogura Hyakunin IsshuThis tea connects in many ways. By producing this tea from Shiiba Yama Cha tea trees, JunChiyabari re-establishes the connection to tea trees of Shiiba village; by drinking this tea, aconnection is made between Japan and Nepal, specially between Hile, the remote village of JunChiyabari high in the Himalaya in east Nepal to the remote village of Shiiba in the mountainsof Miyazaki in west Japan. Most of all this tea connects the spirit of the Japanese and theNepali who love, admire and respect each other. That spirit brought the tea trees from Japanto Nepal. Though parted by a rock for a brief moment, that sprit is made one again by bringingthis special tea from Nepal to Japan.Lochan GyawaliManaging DirectorJun chiyabari Tea Garden P. Ltd. The tea is made using a blend of the Shiiba cultivar with others while propagation of the Shiiba is underway, in the hope that the tea will eventually be made exclusively with Shiiba. It has a smooth floral taste reminiscent of a high grade Baozhong. I bought the complete production of just 200g, making available eight 25g bags. Harvest: Autumn Flush 2022Invoice: J349Invoice Size: 1.5kg Origin: Jun Chiyabari Tea Garden, Hile, Dhankuta district, NepalOrganic: Certified organic by IMO SwitzerlandAltitude: 1,600-2,000mSourced: Direct from Jun ChiyabariPercentage of price going back to Jun Chiyabari: 35%+ Brewing Advice:- Heat water to roughly 80°C/176°F- Use 2 teaspoons per cup/small teapot- Brew for 3-4 minutes Packaging: Resealable ziplock bag