Tasting notes: Snowview claws

Snowview claws is a very special white tea. The long buds, braided by hand and dried in the sun in Darjeeling at the time of the spring harvest, are a particularly rare and precious creation and we are delighted to be able to bring it to you.
This year at our traditional tasting of newly arrived first flushes, we were particularly impressed by the great aromatic complexity of this 2016 blend.
So much so that we decided to give it its own tasting note to record our highly positive first impressions!

Origin: Snowview Garden, Darjeeling, India

Labels: Organic, Fairtrade, PGI

Colour of tea: White

Water temperature: 85°- 90°C

Infusion time in a teapot: 4-5 minutes

Quantity infused: 7-8 grams in a 500 ml teapot

Dry leaves: long, fragile buds delicately braided by hand. These fluffy, dark brown filaments are illuminated by their beautiful silver tips. The fragrances they release are sweet and evoke milk chocolate.

Infused leaves: The braids remain intact and take on a beautiful shiny, dark brown chestnut appearance. There is no trace of broken leaves in the bottom of the cup. The flavours are so rich that they become almost intoxicating. First comes the flavour of biscuit and brown sugar, then the sequence continues with cocoa and a milky flavour ending with the delicious scent of candied dates.

Liquor: Bright yellow and clear. Quite airy.

The scent: The infusion releases truly delicious aromas that make you want to immediately lift the cup to your lips to taste it. One by one they evoke the scent of apple compote, custard and vanilla with a lovely floral touch of violet. This symphony of scents ends with a particularly pronounced aroma of fudge.

In the mouth: All the promise of the scent comes to fruition in the mouth. The attack is very tasty with a truly amazing aromatic density. The well-balanced, airy liquor develops clear, delicious flavours. One after another you can taste apple sauce, vanilla pod and fudge with a final harmony of sugar syrup and the floral freshness of violet that lingers in the mouth. It is a real festival of flavours that makes you want to come back for more.

And what’s even better is that with such quality it’s possible to make several infusions with the same leaves. It would be a shame not to!

The garden of Snowview:

The Snowview tea estate, located in the prestigious Darjeeling region, shares a border with another famous Indian tea region: the Dooars. The gardens of this tea estate cover an area of approximately 300 hectares and are located inside sizable forest reserves rich in exceptional wildlife. Snowview owes its name to the magnificent panorama of snow-capped summits that can be seen from here. The teas produced by this estate have been certified organic since 2007. The famous, hand-braided buds known as “Snowview claws” are a source of pride for the 905 permanent workers.

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