Organic Nepali Green Tea Loose Leaf – Sandakphu Jade, Asparagus & Barley
Asparagus · Barley · Green Peas. Savory, smooth, light-bodied.
Caffeine
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About This Tea
Hand-Shaped Wiry Leaf — The Savory, Full-Bodied Nepali Green
Sandakphu Jade is a finely curled USDA Organic Nepali green tea made from tender hand-plucked leaves, shaped into thin, wiry strands that slowly unfurl as they steep. The liquor is smooth and light-bodied but unusually deep in flavor: rich vegetal notes of asparagus and steamed collard greens balanced by lighter barley, green peas, and alfalfa. Where most green teas are either grassy or floral, this one leans savory, which makes it the green tea to reach for alongside food.
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
- Savory, not sweet — asparagus and collard greens over barley and peas
- Hand-shaped wiry leaf — tightly rolled, then styled by hand before drying
- Watch it unfurl — the strands open slowly in a glass pot or gaiwan
- USDA Organic — no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers
- Micro lot — a small single batch each spring, never blended
Prefer something floral and more selective? Try Emerald Green. Want a crisp everyday green? See Ilam Green.
Quick Facts
- Origin: Ilam, Nepal · 6,000 ft
- Harvest: Spring flush · Spring 2026
- Process: Rested · jet-steamed · air-cooled · withered · rolled · hand-shaped
- 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 the full savory body
- Re-steep: 2–3 times, adding 30 seconds each round
- Pairing: excellent with rice dishes, steamed vegetables, and light seafood
More help: Perfect Food Pairings with Loose Leaf Tea · Explore the rest of our Nepal green tea collection.
How It's 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.
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.
