Sale!!! And a new White Tea...

12% Not Back to School Sale!

Your reward for me being of service: Discount Code NBTSC16 

I believe in being of service. My dream service goal is to donate at least 10% of my time to things I believe in. That was not possible when I worked the corporate 2-, maybe 3-weeks of vacation a year gig. 10% is 5 weeks of service a year, and it would also be nice to vacation and take time with family and friends. It takes some juggling with having my own businesses. But I get to trade off that service goal against my financial goals in ways that I couldn't when I worked for someone.

So I'm off to staff a session Not Back to School Camp for two-and-a-half weeks starting August 20th. This is one of several annual volunteer gigs I have, so expect to see more "service" sales in the future. And since I'm essentially a one-man business and I'm off the grid most of the time, that means orders placed during that time will most probably have up to a two week shipping delay. I will strive to still get them out but you can expect some delays. They will all go out within a couple days of me returning on September 9th.

However, I want to take care of your tea needs so you don't run out while I'm off adventuring. To encourage you to put in your orders before I go, I'm offering 12% off orders placed between August 1st and 14th, all of which will ship as normal before I leave.

New White Tea: Zomba Pearls!

In the nearly 100 years that Satemwa has been cultivating tea plants, they have made it a priority to improve the standard of living for their employees and their families. From their unique terroir, Satemwa is able to produce some unique orthodox white, green, oolong, black and dark teas. Experimenting with different local cultivars and playing around with some traditional and new processing techniques, with trial and error and loads of tasting, they have produced great and unusual teas. The special cultivars, the unique climate and the specialized processing techniques make these teas exceptional.

Zomba Pearls is an example of what a white tea can become in the hands of skilled and passionate tea makers. The hand shaped pearls (or crickets!) are beautiful before, during, and after infusion. As the rolled tea opens up, it reveals the beautiful leaves used to create this tea. I am pleased that we are seeing teas from other places in the world made with the same care and love that we see in China’s specialty teas.

Provenance:

  • Origin: Satemwa Tea Estate, Thyolo Mountain, Shire Highlands - Thyolo District, Malawi
  • Grower/Teamaster: Alexander Catchart Kay
  • Elevation: 1,000m (3,280ft)
  • Harvest Date: Rainy Season (Spring) 2014
  • Cultivar: Zomba
  • Cultivation: Conventional - Herbicides only, no pesticides. Satewa are also Fair Trade Certified, UTZ+ and Rain Forest Alliance Certified.
  • Plucking Standard: Hand plucked by skilled tea workers
  • Processing Notes:  Picked and then hand rolled by skilled tea workers.
  • Nickname: Cricket Tea
  • History/Pedigree: Established in 1923, Satemwa’s own third generation tea maker, Alexander Kay has been crafting and cultivating their teas with love and passion for his artisanal tea.

Tasting Notes:

  • The dry leaf smells rich and tart. The liquor is rich and buttery smooth, with notes of freshly steamed vegetables, roasted squash/pumpkin, and a tangy lemon tail note.