Nepali Black Tea Loose Leaf – Snow Leopard, Single-Origin Ilam
Cocoa · Caramel · Muscat Grape. Full-bodied yet smooth, silky finish.
Caffeine
-
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About This Tea
Wine-Like Nepal Black Tea with Cocoa, Caramel & Muscat Grape
Snow Leopard is a rare, high-mountain Nepal black tea with layered notes of cocoa, caramel, muscat grape, and red currant. Full-bodied yet smooth with low astringency, it drinks elegantly neat and holds a splash of milk at longer steeps. Hand-picked in spring at ~6,700 ft in Ilam, Nepal — where slow growth at altitude builds the wine-like depth most black teas can't reach.
Why You'll Love It
- Wine-like depth — cocoa, caramel, muscat grape, red currant
- Smooth and low-astringent — never bitter, even on longer steeps
- Single-origin Ilam, ~6,700 ft — slow-grown spring harvest
- Versatile — neat for clarity; toward 4 min for milk
- Naturally grown by smallholders without synthetic pesticides
Want a bolder breakfast cup? Try Sherpa Breakfast. Want the award-winning hero? See Himalayan Golden.
Quick Facts
- Origin: Ilam, Nepal · ~6,700 ft
- Harvest: Spring · smallholder lots
- Process: Orthodox black · withered & oxidized
- Caffeine: Medium–High
- Brewing: 195°F · 3–4 min · 2–3 g per 8 oz
- Package: 2.4 oz resealable pouch · ~27 cups
- Cost-per-cup: $0.74 at recommended dose
2.4 oz resealable pouch · ~27 cups at the recommended dose · $0.74 per cup. Compare to a single $4–6 café latte: this pouch makes 6–10 cafés' worth of refined daily cups.
Single variant — perfect first try. If you love it, explore our full Nepal black tea collection.
Brewing Guide
- Leaf: 1.5–2 tsp (2–3 g) per 8 oz
- Water: 195°F — boil, then cool ~1 minute
- Time: 3 min for clarity · 4 min for milk
- Re-steep: 2–3 times, adding 30 seconds each round
- Tip: increase leaf for strength instead of over-steeping
More help: Steeping Tips for Black Tea
What Buyers Say About Snow Leopard
4.9★ from 11 verified reviews
Buyers consistently call out the cocoa-caramel depth, the smooth low-astringency finish, and how it holds milk without losing flavor. This is not a tea you forget after one cup — it's the one customers re-order for the everyday rotation.
Read all reviews on the product page above. Want even more depth? Explore our complete Nepal black tea collection.
Taste & Pairing Notes
In the Cup
- Aroma: cocoa, dark honey, stone fruit
- Body: full and rounded · low astringency
- Finish: silky with lingering caramel
- Liquor color: deep amber
Food Pairings
- Butter croissants, almond biscotti, chocolate shortbread
- Soft cheeses (brie, camembert), berry tarts, banana bread
- Breakfast plates: eggs, hash, cheddar biscuits
- Dark chocolate (70%+) — the cocoa notes echo
Compare Our Best Nepali Black Teas
| Tea | Profile | Caffeine | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snow Leopard (this) | Cocoa, caramel, muscat grape, red currant; wine-like depth, silky finish | Medium–High | Refined daily cup; neat or with milk |
| Himalayan Golden | Honey-malt, dried apricot, alpine florals; plush mellow texture | Medium | Award-winning hero; straight sipping |
| Sherpa Breakfast | Bold malt, red grape, toasted walnut; smooth strong finish | High | English Breakfast alternative; milk/latte |
| Sagarmatha Gold | Chocolate, hazelnut, cane sugar; first-flush; NYT-featured | Medium | Connoisseur sipping; special occasions |
Why Snow Leopard Stands Apart from Other Nepal Black Teas
Most loose leaf black tea on the U.S. market comes from large estates in Assam, Sri Lanka, or generic "blends" that hide single-garden character. Snow Leopard is different: single-origin Nepal black tea from smallholder gardens in Ilam, hand-picked in spring at ~6,700 ft. The cool nights and slow growth at that altitude are what build the cocoa, caramel, and muscat grape notes — flavors you can't fake at lower elevations.
Compared to a typical English Breakfast (bold, malty, made for milk), Snow Leopard is more refined — drinkable neat, smooth enough that you taste the fruit before the tannins. Compared to a Darjeeling (light, muscatel, often astringent), Snow Leopard is fuller-bodied with less bite. Compared to a Yunnan red (chocolate, sweet potato), Snow Leopard adds brighter muscat notes that lift the cup.
This is the everyday black tea for buyers who want special-occasion depth. It's why our customers re-order — and why the same pouch makes both your morning cup with milk and your afternoon clarity cup, neat.
Direct Trade. Naturally Grown. Shipped from Saugus, MA.
We've been buying tea direct from Nepali smallholders since 2012 — first as a Colorado-founded company, now headquartered in Saugus, MA. Snow Leopard is grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers by smallholder producers in Ilam, hand-picked in the cool spring window when leaves develop their highest aromatic complexity, and gently withered and oxidized using orthodox methods.
Every pouch ships fresh from our Saugus, MA warehouse — typically the same or next business day. Learn more about our direct trade story.
Related Guides
Grown naturally by smallholders in Nepal's Ilam region; hand-picked spring harvest, carefully finished for clarity and depth. Packed in a resealable 2.4 oz pouch.
Why Our Customers Love Our Teas
FAQ about Nepali Black Tea Loose Leaf – Snow Leopard, Single-Origin Ilam
Everything you need to know before your first cup.
