Description

Tea from India at Siam Tea Shop

The sustainable trend to more quality with tea on the western market increasingly bears sweet fruit in India, too. Year after year, the mayor tea estates in Darjeeling and Assam compete for the market’s recognition for each season’s best “First Flush“, “Second Flush” or “Autumnal”. However, not only quality comes from India at new levels today, but also completely new diversity of India’s tea portfolio. Black tea, for example, the classic of Indian teas, suddenly comes around in the most diverse appearances. The spectrum reaches from the modern, flowery, spring-hearted first flush to full-bodied, dark roasted second flushes to earthy and malty “autumnals”. One example for a black tea perfectly representing India’s newly defined quality approach is our Doke Black Fusion black tea.

Beyond that, India today is more than ever recollecting the widely unexhausted actual potential of the country’s native Assam varieties. Among the results of such efforts count teas such as our Doke Silver Needle White Tea, which certainly doesn’t have to shy the comparison with its Chinese role models. And also the “Rolling Thunder” Oolong in our small line made up of the three finest teas from Doke tea garden in Bihar convinces at full scale, adding a new star to the Oolong sky.

Why Doke?

A Bond of Trust

For us, Doke was the logical first choice approach for our first footstep on Indian tea terrain for several reasons. For once, it’s the bond of trust that has formed during years of cooperation and interaction with Doke founder Rajiv Lochan. While trust is certainly one of the – if not the – most invaluable asset to a tea trade relationship, there’s more to Doke.  Being looked after by Rajiv’s son and daughter, Vivek and Neha Lochan, the project couldn’t be a better match of our idea of a genuine family operation. Plus, we share with the Lochans a passion for the health and environment-friendly farming of quality tea in biodiverse settings.

The Doke Philosophy

One of the last travelers on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road in his younger days, Rajiv Lochan today is one of the world of tea’s most merited cavaliers. The past 5 decades of tea history, he has basically co-penned. After his successful rise to become one of the most colorful characters in the Indian tea industry, with Doke Rajiv finally incarnated his personal vision of a perfect tea garden. The ideal fostered at Doke is that of a shared appreciation for both the tea one produces and the environment, where it is produced. Other cornerstones of the Doke philosophy are ethical integrity, social responsibility and the transparence of all processes involved in the operation of a tea plantation.

Focus on Quality

Not only the environment benefits from the generously dispersed tree cover of Doke tea plantation, but also the tea itself. And therewith us, who will drink it. The natural shading drives additional sweetness into the tea leaves. In addition, biodiverse vegetation means multiple input for the soil. And yet another feature of quality-driven tea production: Doke teas are processed with all the attention and care owed to the whole tea leaf. This is something you can see, and it is something you can taste.

Doke Black Fusion Black Tea

Once you try this tea for the first time, you’ll instantly notice that Doke Black Fusion is some special in about every respect. A “Fusion” in the truest sense of the word. A fusion of the wisdom of China, the experience of Darjeeling, and the power of the Assam tea tree. Together, these factors combine to an all new black tea with an identity of  its very own. Full-bodied taste, with well-balanced roast notes and a fine malty complex sweetness. Mild, but still highly present with shorter infusion periods, strong and lastingly invigorating from 2 minutes and beyond. A very good friend and companion during long overhours and lonely night shifts.

Preparation:

Pour 250 ml water of a temperature of 90+°C (boiling hot) over 4 grams of Doke Black Fusion Black tea. Let infuse for 1-2 minutes of a mild, but rich infusion. Beyond 2 minutes, the tea gains serious strength and with its wealth of sweet and malty roast notes tastewise once again pulls out all new stops. The potential of Doke Black Fusion tea leaves is accordingly… A single load of Doke Black Fusion makes you and your teapot happy not just once, but will easily live up to producing a second or even third infusion.

 

You will find 2 more teas of our Doke line at the following links:

Doke Rolling Thunder Oolong Tee

Doke Silver Needle Weisser Tee