Ilam sits at Nepal's eastern edge, right against the Darjeeling border, and the two districts share enough climate that this leaf carries a similar muscatel character. But brew it and the cup leans more toward Assam than Darjeeling — that delicate Darjeeling structure is there, though the sweetness and malt underneath push it in a different direction. This is orthodox black tea from the Sakhira Tea Estate, grown at around 4000 feet and plucked as Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, Grade 1, during the May to July harvest.
In the cup it comes out deep copper, with orange, muscatel and malt notes carrying through the sip. It's soft rather than sharp, closer to the sweetness of Assam than the sharper edges some Darjeelings have. Best taken without milk, so the malt and muscatel stay forward instead of getting muted.
Sakhira Tea Garden lies about 12 miles from the Ilam Haat open-air market, on the Sakhejung Hill Range, and was founded by a group of local farmers in 2000; the estate has since expanded into green teas and other specialty grades alongside this one. The name Ilam itself comes from Limbu, combining 'I' for winding and 'lam' for way — a nod to the long, twisting roads and hills that shape the district and, as it happens, suit tea growing well.
To brew, use 50g of leaf and steep for about four minutes in boiling water, then serve it straight and let the copper liquor and malty sweetness speak for themselves.
