What's Inside the Nepal Hills Tea Sampler Kit? A First-Timer's Guide to All 10 Teas
Last updated: July 2026
The Nepal Hills Tea Sampler Kit ($30 CAD) is a 10-tea discovery set — 4 black, 2 green, 2 oolong, and 2 white — sourced from four family farms in Ilam and Taplejung, Nepal, at 5,000–7,000 ft. Every tea in the kit is naturally free of bitterness, so you can taste real high-altitude Himalayan tea in 5g portions before committing to a full bag.
What exactly is in the Nepal Hills Tea Sampler Kit?
The kit holds ten single-origin loose-leaf teas in 5g portions, enough for 2–3 cups of each. Every tea comes from one of our four named farm partners — Farmers Tea Co., Sandakphu Tea Estate, Pathibhara Tea Estate, and Norling Specialty Tea — rather than a blended, anonymous "Himalayan tea" mix. That matters because provenance is what lets us guarantee no bitterness in every tea: each farm sits above 5,000 ft, where slower leaf growth naturally concentrates sweetness-producing theanine over harsh catechins. Below is exactly what you'll find inside, with the farm, elevation, and brew parameters for each.
| Tea | Farm | Elevation | Organic status | Flavour | Brew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Black Tea | Farmers Tea Co., Malate, Ilam | 5,500 ft | Grown on a certified organic farm | Honey-malt, light caramel, golden tips | 90°C, 3 min |
| Muscatel Black Tea | Norling Specialty Tea, Ilam | 5,135 ft | Norling Specialty Tea is in the process of organic certification | Honey-grape muscatel, dried apricot, light rose | 90°C, 3 min |
| Ruby Black Tea | Sandakphu Tea Estate, Ilam | 5,000–7,000 ft | Grown on a certified organic farm | Dark cherry, cocoa, velvet mouthfeel | 90–95°C, 3–4 min |
| Special Black Tea (Theba Black) | Pathibhara Tea Estate, Taplejung | 6,000 ft | Grown following organic farming practices | Dark chocolate, dried plum, pine resin | 90–95°C, 3–4 min |
| Floral Green Tea | Farmers Tea Co., Malate, Ilam | 5,500 ft | Grown on a certified organic farm | Jasmine-adjacent florals, fresh spring grass | 75–80°C, 2–3 min |
| Organic Light Green Tea | Farmers Tea Co., Malate, Ilam | 5,500 ft | Grown on a certified organic farm | Soft spring greens, mild sweetness | 75–80°C, 2 min |
| Floral Oolong Tea | Norling Specialty Tea, Ilam | 5,135 ft | Norling Specialty Tea is in the process of organic certification | Honey blossom, light orchid, soft peach | 85–90°C, 2–3 min |
| Dark Oolong Tea | Sandakphu Tea Estate, Ilam | 5,000–7,000 ft | Grown on a certified organic farm | Stone fruit, roasted honey, bright acidity | 90°C, 3 min |
| Floral White Tea | Farmers Tea Co., Malate, Ilam | 5,500 ft | Grown on a certified organic farm | Delicate floral, honey, soft sweetness | 75°C, 2–3 min |
| Fresh White Tea | Farmers Tea Co., Malate, Ilam | 5,500 ft | Grown on a certified organic farm | Light, clean, gentle sweetness | 75°C, 2 min |
Why doesn't any of it taste bitter?
None of the ten teas in the kit taste bitter because all four source farms sit at 5,000 ft or higher in Ilam and Taplejung, where cooler temperatures slow leaf growth and shift the plant's chemistry toward theanine — the amino acid behind sweetness and calm — rather than the catechins that turn harsh and astringent in fast-growing lowland tea. A 2026 peer-reviewed study on tea composition found catechin concentration in fresh leaf is inversely correlated with cultivation altitude, meaning higher farms genuinely produce a gentler cup, not just a marketed one. My father, Dev Dahal, has farmed tea in Ilam at 5,100 ft for over three decades; the difference in bitterness between his high-altitude leaf and lowland tea is the reason this company exists. Brew any tea in this kit at the temperature listed above and you'll taste it directly: smooth, never astringent, no sugar or milk required to mask a harsh edge.
How do I brew each tea without guessing?
Each of the four tea types in the kit needs a different water temperature and steep time, and getting this wrong is the single most common reason people think a tea is bitter when the leaf itself is fine. Black teas (Gold, Muscatel, Ruby, Special) want a full 90–95°C and 3–4 minutes to open up their malt and stone-fruit notes. Green teas (Floral Green, Organic Light Green) are the most temperature-sensitive: boiling water scalds the leaf and creates bitterness that has nothing to do with the tea itself, so keep it to 75–80°C for 2–3 minutes. Oolongs (Floral Oolong, Dark Oolong) sit in the middle at 85–90°C for 2–3 minutes. White teas (Floral White, Fresh White) are the gentlest of all — 75°C for 2 minutes preserves their delicate sweetness. Use about 3g of leaf per 250ml of water as a starting ratio across all four types, adjusting steep time to taste on your second cup.
Which tea should I try first?
Start with whichever tea type is closest to what you already drink, then branch out from there — that's the whole point of a sampler. Coffee drinkers or committed black tea fans should open with Gold Black Tea: it's the smoothest, most approachable of the four black teas, with honey-malt sweetness and no astringent finish. If you're curious about the rarest tea in the box, Special Black Tea (Theba Black) comes from Pathibhara Tea Estate in Taplejung at 6,000 ft — a tea almost impossible to find elsewhere in North America. Tea drinkers who find green tea usually bitter should try Floral Green Tea first; grown on a certified organic farm at Farmers Tea Co., it's naturally sweet with no cucumber-skin harshness. If you want the lowest caffeine option for evening drinking, Fresh White Tea or Floral White Tea (both from Farmers Tea Co., Ilam, the exclusive source for both our white teas) are the gentlest choices in the kit.
What should I buy after finishing the sampler kit?
Once you know which tea type you prefer, the next step is usually a full-size single-origin bag or one of our multi-tea packs rather than reordering 5g portions. Repeat customers most often move to Gold Black Tea or Organic Light Green Tea at $20 each, or step up to a themed pack: the Black Tea Lover Pack ($47.40) bundles all four black teas together, while the Black Tea Everyday Pack and Green Tea Everyday Pack (both $70) give you 250g of your preferred type for daily drinking. There's no wrong order here — the sampler kit exists so you find your favourite before spending more.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cups does the Tea Sampler Kit make?
Each of the 10 teas comes in a 5g portion, enough for 2–3 cups per tea depending on how strong you brew it — roughly 20–30 cups total across the whole kit.
Are all the teas in the kit organic?
Eight of the ten are grown on certified organic farms (Farmers Tea Co. and Sandakphu Tea Estate). Muscatel Black Tea and Floral Oolong Tea come from Norling Specialty Tea, which is in the process of organic certification. Special Black Tea comes from Pathibhara Tea Estate, which follows organic farming practices but is not certified.
Is any tea in the sampler kit bitter?
No — every tea in the kit is naturally free of bitterness because all four source farms sit at 5,000 ft or higher, where slower leaf growth favours theanine over harsh catechins. Brewing at the correct temperature for each tea type (see the brewing guide above) is what preserves this in the cup.
What's the difference between the two white teas?
Both Floral White Tea and Fresh White Tea come exclusively from Farmers Tea Co. in Malate, Ilam. Floral White Tea leans toward soft rose and peach-fuzz sweetness, while Fresh White Tea is lighter, cleaner, and slightly vegetal — both are the lowest-caffeine teas in the kit.
Can I buy a full bag of my favourite tea after trying the sampler?
Yes — every tea in the sampler kit is also sold individually in a larger size: most as $10 for a 25g pouch or $44–50 for a 180g bag, while Gold Black Tea and Organic Light Green Tea are sold as a single $20 50g size.
How long does the sampler kit stay fresh?
Store each 5g portion in a sealed, dark, dry place and it will hold its flavour for several months. Brewing within the first 4–6 weeks of receiving the kit gives you the truest first impression of each tea's aroma.
Sources: Effects of Altitude on Tea Composition (PMC, 2026); National Tea and Coffee Development Board of Nepal.
Bhaskar Dahal is the founder of Nepal Hills Tea, a Canadian direct-trade specialty tea company sourcing single-origin loose-leaf teas from Ilam and Taplejung, Nepal.
