Review: Safa Himalaya "Himalayan Night" Oolong

Nepal is an oft-overlooked region in the tea world, its tea industry being relatively new compared to places like India, China and Japan. The volume it produces is also generally smaller than those regions. One area where Nepal does not fall short, however, is in quality. One estate in particular, Jun Chiyabari, has managed in just nine short years to acquire a reputation for producing some of the world's best teas. It is attention to detail such as hand-rolling the leaves, producing in small batches, growing organically, and paying special attention to tea bush selection that makes it a real player. In the tea world, passion counts--and it will show in the final product.

SAFA Himalaya is a Vancouver-based importer that specializes in Nepalese tea. At present, their tea is procured mainly from Jun Chiyabari estate. They are a socially responsible business in several ways: first, they trade direct with growers and pay a fair price for the product--they typically pay what the growers ask--in an effort to support the livelihoods of local growers. Second, they do business only with tea gardens that treat their workers ethically and have a responsible and sustainable relationship with the environment. These practices help achieve two equally worthy ends. There is the obvious ethical benefit of helping the poor in Nepal raise their standard of living, of course. There is also the fact that contributing to the profitability of growers who choose to employ orthodox and traditional methods of tea production helps maintain a supply of high-quality loose tea for connoisseurs to enjoy. SAFA presently offers black, green and oolong tea; this review is of their "Himalayan Night" oolong.

Himalayan Night is a 70% fermented oolong in the style of the Taiwanese oolongs, which tend to be darker and more heavily oxidized than so-called "Chinese" oolongs. If you are familiar with other oolongs, the first thing you'll notice about Himalayan Night is that it is a pleasant paradox. Take the time to have a look, and you'll see that the leaves are handpicked for quality. Take the time to smell it, and you'll experience a strong nose of apricot and dried fruit which is very pleasant and yet a bit idiosyncratic, which really sums up the appeal of this tea. It is a tea that dares to be different, while still sharing enough common ground with other more well-known oolongs to not seem a jarringly novel experience.

The appearance of the tea is similarly new, yet familiar. While many oolongs have an austere appearance, taking the form of tightly rolled bluish/greenish pebbles, the dry leaves of Himalayan Night, with its wiry black, white and orange appearance, are pleasantly autumnal, not unlike certain Darjeelings (but much more colourful). Once infused (pictured above, top left; click for detail), the leaves are even more striking, with a variegated array of reds, oranges, yellows and browns that is definitely memorable. The liquor (top right) is striking--an exquisite gold color, similar to a Tie Guan Yin but darker and richer.

But what can be said of the taste? Perhaps the best indication of the quality of this tea--and the idiosyncratic duality that has been continually alluded to--is that connoisseurs will love it, and newcomers will probably be thrilled by it as well. The taste on the palate is complex and subtle--the fruity top notes will make themselves known early on, particularly the apricot that is also present in the nose. The muscatel flavors typical to Darjeelings are present, as well as a strong woody note reminiscent of, again, a Tie Guan Yin oolong. The flavor is also strangely "creamy" and has a fine roundness in the mouth which makes for a really refreshing cup--it feels like you've had a glass of really pure water. Lastly, to paraphrase the old maxim that "you keep tasting a great oolong even after you've finished drinking it," the aftertaste is fantastic and lingers on the palate long after the last sip.

The overall impression of this fine tea is of a hybrid of a very good Darjeeling and a very good Taiwanese oolong, without either one dominating the other. Truly remarkable, this tea is highly recommended to fans of either varietal, or to those who cherish the idea of indulging their hobby while simultaneously supporting development in impoverished areas.