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Organic Nepali Green Tea Loose Leaf – Sandakphu Jade, Asparagus & Barley
Hand-shaped Nepali green tea with asparagus, steamed collard greens, barley, green peas, and alfalfa. Savory, smooth, light-bodied.
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About This Tea
The Spring 2026 harvest reached 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.
Quick Facts
- Origin: Ilam, Nepal · 6,000 ft
- Harvest: Spring flush · Spring 2026
- Leaf: Hand-shaped into thin, wiry strands
- Process: Rested, jet-steamed, air-cooled, withered, rolled, hand-shaped
- Certification: USDA Organic
- Caffeine: Low, 20 to 30 mg per 8 oz
- Brew: 160 to 175°F · 2 to 4 min · 2.5 g per 8 oz
- Re-steeps: 2 to 3 times
What you get
A 3.5 oz resealable bag, roughly 40 cups at 2.5 g per 8 oz, plus two to three re-steeps per portion. Because the leaf is rolled tightly, the second infusion is usually the fullest.
Prefer something floral? Try Emerald Green. Want a crisp everyday green? See Ilam Green.
Sandakphu Jade is the savory one. Tender hand-plucked leaves are shaped into thin, wiry strands that unfurl slowly as they steep. The liquor is smooth and light-bodied but deep in flavor: asparagus and steamed collard greens over lighter barley, green peas, and alfalfa. That savory turn is what makes it the green tea to reach for alongside food. Single-origin from Ilam at 6,000 ft, USDA Organic. Shop our full Nepal Green Tea collection
A savory Nepali green tea with a hand-shaped wiry leaf
Sandakphu Jade is a single-origin Nepali green tea grown at 6,000 ft in the Ilam district of eastern Nepal. One or two leaves and a bud are hand-plucked, then rolled tightly and shaped by hand into thin, wiry strands before drying. Brewed in a glass pot or gaiwan you can watch the strands open.
The cup is smooth and light-bodied but deeper in flavor than the leaf suggests: asparagus and steamed collard greens in front, with barley, green peas, and alfalfa underneath. Most green teas land either grassy or floral. This one turns savory, which is what makes it work at the table.
What makes it different
In the leaf and the cup
- Savory, not sweet: asparagus and collard greens over a barley base.
- Hand-shaped wiry leaf: tightly rolled, then styled by hand before drying.
- Opens gradually: the tight roll slows flavor release, so re-steeps build.
- USDA Certified Organic: no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.
- Low caffeine: 20 to 30 mg per 8 oz.
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 the full savory body
- Re-steep: 2 to 3 times, adding about 30 seconds each round
The tight roll suits short, repeated infusions too: gong fu vs western brewing.
Taste and pairing notes
In the cup
- Aroma: fresh greens, steamed vegetables
- Flavor: asparagus, steamed collard greens, barley, green peas, alfalfa
- Body: light, smooth, low astringency
- Finish: clean and savory
Why it works with food
Sweet and floral greens tend to fight savory dishes. A vegetal, low-astringency cup sits alongside them instead, which is why this is the green we point people to when they want tea with a meal rather than between meals.
What to drink it with
| Dish | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Steamed rice dishes, donburi, plain rice | The barley note echoes the grain rather than competing with it |
| Stir-fried or steamed green vegetables | Asparagus and collard green depth runs with the dish |
| Light seafood, steamed fish | Low astringency keeps delicate flavors intact |
| Dumplings and miso soup | Savory on savory, with the tea clearing the palate |
| Soft cheeses and green salads | The pea and alfalfa notes lift fresh, grassy ingredients |
More combinations: perfect food pairings with loose leaf tea.
Cold brew and iced
Cold water pulls the sweetness and the vegetal depth while leaving most of the tannins behind, so the savory character stays clean rather than sharp.
- Ratio: about 8 g of leaf per litre of cold water
- Time: overnight in the fridge, longer than usual since the leaf is tightly rolled
- Strain and serve over ice, unsweetened, alongside food
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. Sandakphu Jade 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
One or two leaves and a bud are hand-plucked and carried to the factory, where the tender leaves rest for over two hours before being jet-steamed under perforated trays and immediately cooled with blown cold air. The cooled leaves wither for around four hours, then are tightly rolled for 30 minutes and rested for 15. They are then shaped and styled into their finished wiry form, oven-dried at 110°C for over an hour, hand-sorted, and packed.
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 – Sandakphu Jade, Asparagus & Barley
Everything you need to know before your first cup.
