Organic Nepali Green Tea Loose Leaf – Ilam, Butter Lettuce & Coriander
Butter Lettuce · Coriander · Dried Gardenia. Crisp, sweet, never bitter.
Caffeine
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About This Tea
Jet-Steamed Nepali Green Tea — Crisp, Sweet, and Never Bitter
Ilam Green is a vibrant USDA Organic Nepali green tea with gently twisted, curled leaves grown at 7,000 ft in Ilam. Unlike pan-fired Chinese greens, these leaves are jet-steamed within hours of plucking, the Japanese method that locks in fresh green character before oxidation can start. The liquor is light and refreshing, with notes of sweet butter lettuce, delicate baby arugula, aromatic coriander, dried gardenia, and fresh asparagus. Brewed at the right temperature it stays clean and sweet, with none of the bitterness that puts people off green tea.
The Spring 2026 harvest arrived at our Saugus, MA warehouse in August and is what ships today, sealed straight from the lot. We list the harvest on every tea so you always know how old your leaf is.
Why You'll Love It
- Jet-steamed, not pan-fired — preserves fresh, lively vegetal character
- Never bitter — smooth and sweet when brewed at 160–175°F
- Low caffeine — an easy afternoon or evening cup
- USDA Organic — no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers
- Single-origin micro lot — one district, one harvest, never blended
Prefer something rounder and nuttier? Try Pokhara Classic. Want hand-rolled pearls? See Half Moon Pearls.
Quick Facts
- Origin: Ilam, Nepal · 7,000 ft
- Harvest: Spring flush · Spring 2026
- Process: Jet-steamed · rolled · pan-conditioned · hand-sorted
- Certification: USDA Organic
- Caffeine: Low (20–30 mg / 8 oz)
- Brewing: 160–175°F · 2–4 min · 2.5 g per 8 oz
- Package: 3.5 oz resealable bag · about 40 cups
Brewing Guide
- Leaf: 2.5 g (1 level to 1 heaping tsp) per 8 oz
- Water: 160–175°F — never boiling, which is what makes green tea bitter
- Time: 2 min for a light cup · 4 min for fuller body
- Re-steep: 2–3 times, adding 30 seconds each round
- Iced: cold-brew 8 g per litre overnight in the fridge for a sweet, low-caffeine iced tea
More help: What Is Green Tea, Benefits and Brewing · Explore the rest of our Nepal green tea collection.
How It's Made
Baskets of finely plucked leaves, mainly two leaves and a bud, are carried to the factory and withered for 4 to 6 hours depending on the weather. The leaves are then jet-steamed for 60 to 80 seconds and cooled on netted troughs for over four hours. The cooled, tender leaves are rolled for 30 minutes, rested for 30 minutes, then rolled and panned together for another 15 minutes. Finally they are oven-dried for over an hour, hand-sorted, and rested before packing.
Micro lot. Packaging may vary.
Jet-steamed Nepali green tea from Ilam at 7,000 feet
Ilam Green is a single-origin Nepali green tea with gently twisted, curled leaves grown at 7,000 ft in the Ilam district of eastern Nepal. What sets it apart from most green tea sold in the US is the processing. The leaves are jet-steamed within hours of plucking rather than pan-fired, which is the Japanese approach, and it holds the fresh green character in place before oxidation can begin.
The result is a light, clean cup with sweet butter lettuce and baby arugula in front, then coriander, dried gardenia, and fresh asparagus. Brewed below boiling it stays smooth and gently sweet, without the astringency that turns people off green tea. USDA Organic, one district, one harvest, never blended.
What makes it different
In the leaf and the cup
- Jet-steamed, not pan-fired: fresh and vegetal rather than toasty and nutty.
- Whole leaf, single-origin: no blending, no fannings, no dust.
- USDA Certified Organic: no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.
- Low caffeine: 20 to 30 mg per 8 oz, an easy afternoon cup.
- Re-steeps 2 to 3 times: the second steep is often the sweetest.
Brewing guide
- Leaf: 2.5 g, one level to one heaping tsp, per 8 oz
- Water: 160 to 175°F, never boiling
- Time: 2 min for a light cup, 4 min for fuller body
- Re-steep: 2 to 3 times, adding about 30 seconds each round
No temperature-control kettle? Boil, then let the water sit uncovered 3 to 4 minutes before pouring. Full method: how to brew Nepali loose leaf tea.
Taste and pairing notes
In the cup
- Aroma: fresh greens, gardenia, spring herbs
- Flavor: butter lettuce, baby arugula, coriander, dried gardenia, asparagus
- Body: light
- Finish: clean, crisp, gently sweet
Food pairings
- Sushi, steamed dumplings, rice bowls
- Spring salads, cucumber, herbs, citrus dressings
- Almonds, sesame crackers, fresh fruit
Jet-steamed vs pan-fired green tea
Most green tea drinkers in the US have had either Japanese sencha or a pan-fired Chinese green such as dragonwell or gunpowder. Here is where Ilam Green sits between them:
| Ilam Green (Nepal) | Sencha (Japan) | Pan-fired Chinese green | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kill-green method | Jet-steamed, 60 to 80 seconds | Steamed | Pan-fired |
| Profile | Butter lettuce, coriander, gardenia; light and sweet | Grassy, marine, umami | Toasty, nutty, sometimes smoky |
| Brew temp | 160 to 175°F | 160 to 170°F | 175 to 185°F |
| Caffeine per 8 oz | 20 to 30 mg | Medium | Medium |
| Origin | Ilam, Nepal · 7,000 ft | Shizuoka, Kagoshima | Various provinces |
Cold brew and iced
Cold water pulls the sweetness out of a jet-steamed leaf while leaving most of the tannins behind, so the cup stays smooth and clear.
- Ratio: about 8 g of leaf per litre of cold water
- Time: overnight in the fridge
- Strain and serve over ice, with lemon or fresh mint
Full method: cold brew Nepali loose leaf tea guide.
What is in the leaf
Whole-leaf green tea is unbroken and unoxidized, so the leaf reaches your cup intact. Ilam Green naturally contains:
- Catechins, including EGCG: the most-studied polyphenols in green tea.
- L-Theanine: an amino acid naturally present in green tea leaf.
- Caffeine: 20 to 30 mg per 8 oz cup, depending on leaf amount and steep time.
- Polyphenols and chlorophyll: preserved by steaming within hours of picking.
This describes what the leaf contains. For a fuller discussion, see what is green tea, benefits and brewing.
How it is made
Baskets of finely plucked leaf, mainly two leaves and a bud, are carried to the factory and withered for 4 to 6 hours depending on the weather. The leaves are jet-steamed for 60 to 80 seconds, then cooled on netted troughs for over four hours. The cooled leaf is rolled for 30 minutes, rested for 30 minutes, then rolled and panned together for another 15 minutes. It is oven-dried for over an hour, hand-sorted, and rested before packing.
Micro lot. Packaging may vary.
Related guides
USDA Organic. Grown and processed in Ilam, Nepal, and packed at our Saugus, MA warehouse. Direct trade with Ilam producers since 2012.
Why Our Customers Love Our Teas
FAQ about Organic Nepali Green Tea Loose Leaf – Ilam, Butter Lettuce & Coriander
Everything you need to know before your first cup.
