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This month, we embark on a journey through untamed landscapes, uncovering the extraordinary wild teas that flourish in India and also Sri Lanka. At Herbs & Kettles, travel and adventure are at the heart of our mission to source and share unique teas, and this box is a celebration of that spirit. Each tea tells a story — of forgotten forests, ancient traditions, and resilient communities.
In the remote forests of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, the Naga tribes carry on a centuries-old tea tradition. These tribes, with roots tracing back to Myanmar and Yunnan, plant wild tea trees around their homes, harvesting leaves every spring and summer. The leaves are pan-fried, pounded into special bamboo, and smoked over the ever-burning hearths of their huts. You can read more about our adventure and how khalap is made in our blog here.
We were fortunate to visit a Naga village and witness the art of making khalap tea — a vanishing practice that embodies their rich heritage. Khalap is unlike any tea you’ve tasted. With a mineral-rich mouthfeel, notes of sweet hay, earth, golden raspberries, and a wonderful prominent smokiness, it’s an enchanting experience in every sip. If you like this tea and wish to get more, you can purchase Naga Khalap here.
Steeping Tip: Use a tea pick to break it into smaller pieces, or, for a rustic approach, wrap it in a paper bag and gently hammer it.
In Assam, the Singpho tribe continues their own tea traditions. Descendants of the Zingpho tribe from Yunnan, the Singpho people have passed down the art of making phalap through generations and is similar to how khalap is made. In the year 2022, we sat with Rajesh Singpho over cups of tea and rice wine as he shared his story.
While Phalap is now made using cultivated tea plants instead of wild ones, it retains its signature sweet hay, earth, and gooseberry notes with a subtle touch of smoke. Phalap is softer, less smoky than khalap, but delicious in its own right. We invite you to compare the two khalap and phalap — a testament to indigenous tea traditions across regions.
Steeping Tip: Prepare phalap as you would khalap.
Deep in the forests of Manipur, wild tea trees stand tall, nurtured by the hands of the Gangte family. Self-taught tea makers, this remarkable family has rallied about ten village families to produce exceptional teas while preserving their environment. Despite the challenges of a civil war, their resilience shines, and we’re proud to support their mission. A portion of our Giving Tuesday proceeds went to support the Gangte family, and we’re grateful to our community for making that possible. We usually have the Manipur Wild Galangal Black Tea and Manipur sheng from them, but wanted to try their wild black tea. This tea, with its mineral texture and notes of smoke, fennel, and licorice,silt and black rock is a true treasure.
Steeping Tip:
This wild black tea hails from the enchanting Warnagala Wild Tea Forest in Sri Lanka, a region steeped in history and biodiversity. These semi-wild tea trees thrive on an abandoned colonial estate left untouched by Scottish planters over 130 years ago, nestled in the breathtaking Adam’s Peak mountain range. With time, the tea bushes transformed into majestic trees, drawing nourishment from the lush forest around them.
Harvested in November 2024, this tea was the first we sampled from teas we just received from multiple farms from Sri Lanka (that we hope to share with you)—and we were captivated. The first steep unveils a complex wonderful flavors: hints of forest, tobacco, allspice, cocoa, vanilla, coffee liqueur, and a maltiness reminiscent of Assam. As you continue steeping, the pronounced malty notes mellow, giving way to a harmonious interplay with cocoa and allspice. Each infusion deepens the experience, making it a truly remarkable cup.
Steeping Tip:
With this curated selection, we hope to transport you to the wild, unspoiled corners of South Asia. Each cup is not just tea — it’s a story of tradition, resilience, and nature’s untamed beauty. Let us know which tea stole your heart this month.
Happy steeping!
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