Our special Kumari Gold black tea, often known as golden tips tea, has quite a bit of unique tweaks to the normal black tea processing technique. Similar to other specialty teas, generally only one (sometimes two) leaves and the terminal bud are carefully plucked during the second flush (summer season). The freshly hand-plucked delicate leaves are withered for several hours to get the moisture out of the tea leaves so that the leaves remain intact during the rolling process. The rolling process is done in several stages with low-medium and high pressure during which great care is taken so as not to break the leaves but also bring out the essential oils and other aromatic components of tea to life. After a complete rolling process of about 20-25 minutes, the leaves are set to oxidize (some might call this fermentation, however it is only reacting with oxygen so there is no actual bacterial fermentation going on) for 8-10 hours depending on the type of leaves and the season.
During the oxidation process, the leaves are turned and set in many different positions in frequent intervals. This is not only critical in bringing out the desired flavors, but it also enhances the golden coloring of the buds through oxidation. At the peak of their aroma, the leaves are sent for the drying process, which captures the flavors and the aromas that are later prominent in the cup of the drinker when brewed.
