MELBOURNE tea merchant David Thompson imports the finest teas from India, China and Burma, including the rare and prestigious 'champagne teas' of Darjeeling in the Himalayan foothills of India. These teas are unmatched for delicate flavour, enticing aroma and exquisite taste. The teas of Assam, grown above the Brahmaputra river valley, are by comparison malty and full-bodied and regarded for their 'tippy' golden second 'flush' or second picking. Larsen & Thompson also imports exceptional chinese flower teas and oolong. The flower teas are beautifully presented for steeping in glass for the drinker to watch the tea 'flower'. Some oolong is presented in stunning glazed ceramic pots. Thompson says Australians have begun a love affair with teas, but that many people are intimidated by a lack of knowledge. He told The Age: 'People are very sophisticated diners in this country and I think that tea is the last bastion on the menu that has not been oversold. Here you have a product that naturally offers an enormous variety of flavours and complexity and it goes so well with food.'
boxed tea 75g
burma blend jungle green oolong
china puerh
india blend chai
india blend earl grey
india blend good morning english breakfast
india single estate assam duamara
india single estate darjeeling organic chamong
burma and china tea zip-locked
burma green tea 75g kachin green
burma oolong tea 75g shan plateau
china black tea 50g golden monkey jin mao hou
china black tea 50g keemun mao feng [anhui province]
china black tea 60g lapsang souchong
china green tea 75g yunnan green [yunnan province]
china oolong 50g iron goddess tie guan yin
china white tea 30g white peony bai mu dan [fujian province]
china green flower tea
bridal basket 4g
enchanted circle 4g
jasmine bower 4g
jasmine pearls 4g
jasmine secret 4g
paradise garden 4g
rose arbour 4g
spring snow 4g
sunset lily 4g
distinctive tea
burma ceramic green wooden-lidded jar with shan plateau 100g
china bing cha puerh tea disc 357g
china zhua cha puerh tea brick 250g
india single estate tea
Single estate teas are unblended batches of tea from specific gardens. They offer the discerning consumer the subtleties of varietal, seasonal and regional flavour. An 'invoice' is the name given to a parcel of tea from a particular section of a garden. Invoices are made separately and numbered consecutively throughout the growing season. Each invoice is unique. The acronymn SFTGFOP denotes 'special, finest, tippy, golden, flowery, orange, pekoe' — and the addition of '1' shows it to be the finest quality tea from a particular estate. FTFGOP denotes tea of exceptionally high quality. Assam in north-eastern India is the world's largest tea-producing region regarded not only for its commercial teas but malty and 'tippy' single teas of great quality. Darjeeling teas, from the Himalayan foothills, are renowned for their exceptional delicacy and subtlety.
assam single estate 75g
hattialli inv. O 391 TGFOP — With a fine sprinkling of buds and evenly twisted leaf, this stylish Assam tea makes a full-bodied liquor that is both brisk but mellow
mazbat inv. OR 0443 TGFOP 1 [clonal] — A superior robust 'milk' tea which demonstrates the strength of the Assamese earth in which it grows
darjeeling single estate 75g
gielle inv. DJ 16 [first flush] FTGOP 1 — Tea from the Gielle estate is characterised by a fine flavour, aroma and colour. First flush teas are harvested from late February to mid-April and have young, delicate flavours
goomtee inv. DJ 126 [second flush] FTGOP 1 — Goomtee estate is in the Kerseong valley of Darjeeling where tea is grown at 1000-2000 metres. The estate covers 200 hectares and produces 80,000 kilograms per year, including leaf from the Narbada Majhua and Mohan Majhua estates. A second flush tea is harvested between May and June and is more full-bodied than a first flush tea. The flavour is bright and full with fruity notes.
okayti inv. DJ 226 [second flush] FTGOP 1 — Okayti estate is in the Mirik valley covering 208 hectares. Tea is grown between 1770 to 2360 metres.
risheehat inv. DJ 163 [second flush] SFTGOP 1 SPL — In Darjeeling's East valley, Risheehat estate's tea is grown at altitudes ranging from 980 to 2050 metres. A superb tea of the first rank.
singbulli inv. Ex 39 [first flush] FTGOP 1 [clonal] — Singbulli estate in Darjeeling's Mirik valley produces tea from 750 hectares at an altitude of 1100 metres.
sungma inv. DJ 264 [second flush] SFTGOP 1 [Ch] — Sungma estate in the beautiful Rungbong valley of Darjeeling produces tea at altitudes of 1420-2360 metres.
darjeeling single estate certified organic 75g
Tea gardens that strictly adhere to organic and biodynamic farming methods yield, on average, 30 per cent less than conventional gardens. Such lower-yielding plants offer a more intense flavour.
chamong inv. DJ 187 [second flush] FTGOP 1 — Grown in the Rungbong valley of Darjeeling at altitudes of 1550-2360 metres.
lingia inv. DJ 42 [first flush] FTGOP 1 — Lin-ge means 'triangle of eight peaks' in the indigenous Lepcha language. The 141-hectare estate in Darjeeling's Golden valley has been producing tea for 140 years.
tumsong inv. DJ 82 [first flush] FTGOP 1 — Tumsong estate in Darjeeling's Golden valley was planted in 1867 and sports a spectacular view of the mighty 8581-metre Kanchenjunga peak, the world's third highest.
loose tea 500g / 1kg
chai
earl grey
good morning [english breakfast]
teapots & accessories
chai glass clear / green
glass teapot with infuser 500ml / 1000ml
beehouse porcelain teapot with mesh infuser 450ml / 680ml
wooden caddy spoon
terracotta bisque-fired chai cup
terracotta high-fired glazed chai cup