White Prakash

Ingredients

White tea (camellia sinensis)

Producer

Kanchanjangha Tea Estate and Research Center Pvt. Ltd. (KTERC). KTERC is the first certified organic tea garden in Nepal that was established in 1984 by Mr. Deepak Prakash Baskota to rid his community of poverty. It remains a model social enterprise still today, that runs on cooperative infrastructure and is truly focused on the people and planet before profit.

Production Process

This is definitely not your typical delicate organic white tea as it does not use same production methods as traditional white tea. Generally, the tender one leaf and a bud are hand-plucked during Spring and Summer (First Flush and Second Flush respectively). Unlike other white teas which go through virtually no processing, our White Prakash tea undergoes a small process which makes it unique and special. Some even call this tea Silvery Oolong and you’ll find out why as you read along. The tea leaves are set to go through natural withering for a few hours depending on the weather conditions. After the leaves have sufficiently softened, they are transferred to a rolling machine under low-medium pressure. With a quick 8-10 minutes rolling process, the tea leaves are able to ooze out some of their essential oils, which fill the room with amazingly fresh floral aroma. This is captured right after to lock in all the fresh aroma though drying process.

While it seems quite simple, it is truly an art form to know the exact time to capture the aromas and flavors from this organic white tea since it’s processing time is so short. Due to this slight change in the processing format for a typical white tea, it is not uncommon for people to label this as a newer variety/category of oolong tea.

Origin

Our tea garden is nestled in the foothills of Mt. Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world, in the eastern part of Nepal. Located precisely near the western borders of Darjeeling, India and north of the Illam, the most famous tea growing region in Nepal, our small village enjoys the best of both worlds. Situated at an altitude of 1300-1800 meters (4,200 - 6000 feet), the area enjoys a pristine himalayan climatic conditions to produce highly unique and aromatic teas.

Who is White Prakash for?

This Nepal white tea is sure to delight any fans of Bai Mu Dan White tea or lighter Taiwanese Oolong Teas. Also, anyone who is trying to expand their palate in lighter teas will enjoy the amazing complexity that this white tea can bring out. Some of our customers have described it as the most intriguing and satisfying teas that they have ever had. No wonder it won the Bronze Medal in the Global Tea Championship 2019 and has also won multiple other awards in various tea festivals globally.

Who is White Prakash dedicated to?

The name ‘Prakash’ signifies ‘bright light’ in Nepali Language and is also the middle name of our founding father, Mr. Deepak Prakash Baskota. He is the founder and chairman of our farm, Kanchenjunga Tea Estate and Research Center in eastern Nepal. Indeed, he has proven to be a guiding light for spearheading organic and cooperative movements in Nepal and even for the country itself as the state minister for home affairs. It brings us immense pride to name the most subtle yet most fine quality tea after his middle name.

Awards and Recognition

• Bronze medal in Global Tea Championship white tea category, 2019
• 1st prize at The 2019 Toronto Tea Festival
• 2nd place winner of the 2020 Toronto Tea Festival
• 4th Prize at the AVPA in Paris 2020
• 96/100 score at Tea Epicure from Tony Geebly

What are the pros saying about this tea?

• Tea Epicure Review
• Hanamichi Review
• Life's a Cup of Tea Review
• Tea Journeyman Review
• GONGFU BREWING
• 190 degrees Soak and Steep (15 Seconds + 10 Seconds Additional)
• Candidate for Gongfu: Yes
• Evolution of Flavor Profile: Roasted melon, muscatel, apricot, mango, and honeysuckle to roasted melon, brioche, slate, and slightly kelpy.
• Body and Aromatics: Medium body, persistent aromatics
• Steeping Parameters: I wouldn't recommend a higher temperature because tends to overly favor the bitter and woodsy notes, drowning the floral aspects.
• Structure: Well structured for the first 4 steepings.
• Notes: I would recommend a low steeping temperature to avoid any bitter notes, but think that would detract from the overall taste profile.