Kumaon Tiger 🐅 2026- Black Tea (NEW)

Kumaon Tiger Black Tea 

Tasting Notes: Purple sweet potatoes, Molasses, Dried Fig, Gentle Malt

Place: Kumaon, North Indian Himalayas

Tea Makers: Champawat Tea Makers & Desmond Birkbeck 

A bold and beautifully crafted whole leaf black tea from the Kumaon Tea Factory—India's first farmer-owned specialty tea factory. Inspired by the golden-style black teas of the eastern Himalayas, Tiger Black offers a rich, velvety cup layered with notes of molasses, dried fig, and a gentle malt sweetness.

Unlike many black teas that rush to make an impression, Tiger Black unfolds slowly. Large, carefully preserved leaves release their flavor gradually, creating a smooth, full-bodied brew with depth, sweetness, and almost no astringency.

Its name comes from the striped appearance of the finished leaf and pays tribute to Kumaon's most iconic resident—the Bengal tiger. Fittingly, this tea was discovered much the same way a tiger might be spotted in the forest: unexpectedly. While sorting through the factory's first season of production, the tea makers noticed large black leaves threaded with golden buds. A quick tasting revealed something special—the factory's first whole leaf black tea.

Crafted in partnership with renowned tea maker Desmond Birkbeck and local farming families in the North Indian Himalayas, Tiger Black represents a new chapter for Indian tea. Every cup supports a farmer-owned model where growers earn significantly more for their harvest and share in the long-term success of the factory they now co-own.

Rich, distinctive, and deeply rooted in place, Tiger Black is a celebration of craftsmanship, community, and the future of Himalayan tea.

Ingredients: Black Tea

Net Wt: 2 oz (57g) in elegant black tin or 3 oz in rice paper bag

Brewing Instructions

Western Style

Use 3g of tea per 8 oz (240 ml) of water. Steep at 200°F (88–93°C) for 2–3 minutes.

Gongfu Style

In a 100 ml gaiwan or small teapot, use 5g of tea. Brew with 200–205°F (93–96°C) water. Rinse briefly for 5 seconds, then steep as follows:

1st infusion: 10–15 seconds

2nd infusion: 20 seconds

3rd infusion: 25 seconds

Increase steeping time slightly with each additional infusion to suit your taste.