Ilam district, where this loose leaf black tea grows, sits right against Nepal's border with Darjeeling, and the resemblance shows up in the cup: a bright, complex liquor with real muscatel character. TGFOP stands for Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe. Tasting notes run wide: floral top notes give way to lemon and orange citrus, then tropical fruit and honey, with muscatel, milk, and even a faint coffee note turning up as it cools. The liquor itself pours coppery and light in tone.
Nepal's tea industry is small by world standards, producing only around 0.1% of global output, and young next to China's five-thousand-year tea history or Japan's own long tradition. Commercial planting in the country began in 1863, but the trade didn't become economically viable until the 1950s, after decades disrupted by political upheaval in the region. Ilam district got its first mass-production factory in 1978, roughly a century after planting started there, and loose leaf from the district still isn't easy to come by outside Nepal. The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company packs this mid-season batch fresh to order at its Kent factory, aiming for consistency from one batch to the next.
Black tea of this kind has long been drunk for its antioxidants: polyphenols and tannins are traditionally credited with supporting skin health, and catechins and flavonoids are thought by some to help ward off skin infections. Take that as tradition rather than established medicine.
Brew it in freshly boiled water for around five minutes. Take it black to taste the full range of notes, or add milk, sugar, honey, or a slice of lemon, whichever suits your morning cup.
