Black Tea

We at The G.S. Haly Company work very hard to maintain consistent, high-quality standards for all of our products. Our Standard #5001 is considered the benchmark for consistent high quality iced tea material. As one of the largest specialty tea importers in the U.S. we have a distinct responsibility to maintain our standard #5001; you may not know this tea by name, but you will recognize it as the flavor of specialty iced tea in the United States.

As demand for certified organic teas continues to increase in the US, we are pleased to now offer an NOP Organic equivalent standard to one of our best-selling black teas: China Black OP #5002 (China Std. 1265). While it is very challenging to find an organic version of this tea that has the same degree of depth, complexity and liquor color, we think that our new standard #5003 is an excellent choice for those who seek an organic version of our classic #5002.

NOP Organic China Black OP works extremely well as a base tea for many different blends and flavored teas, as the base flavor is smooth and very approachable. A clean and well-sorted leaf with visual appeal, our new standard #5003 works very well as both hot and iced tea.

Origin: Anhui, China. Keemun Mao Feng is one of the first keemun types produced every year. Tea Production in Keemun (Qimen) County typically begins in early April, while the young leaves are still tender and sweet. Careful handling at every step, including hand-rolling, charcoal firing, and hand-sorting helps to concentrate the flavors of malt and honey. This particular cup has a brighter character than most traditional Keemun standards, with a fruity and almost juicy quality, balanced by a classic Keemun malty finish.

Known in China as “Zhen Shan Xiao Zhong”, this tea has an excellent pedigree and an equally interesting cup profile. Grown on the slopes of the famed Wuyi mountains, home to some of the first black teas ever made, our Wuyi Congou is the same base tea which is traditionally smoked over fresh pine roots to make the famous Lapsang Souchong. Without the smoke, Wuyi Congou has a very soft and buttery mouthfeel, and the flavor is naturally delicate and sweet, yielding a long and pleasing aftertaste.

One of the most challenging aspects of buying a good tea for iced tea applications, whether organic or not, is finding a product that does not cloud when cool. While there are many factors that contribute to the clouding of tea, including the quality of the material, the pH level of the water, and the leaf cultivar used, we find that the Organic Iyerpadi Estate Black BOP is one of the only non-China origin specialty teas that does not cloud when cool.

So, what makes this tea different from any other South Indian Black tea? After some research, and extensive experimentation, we believe that the main contributing factor is that Iyerpadi Estate still maintains its fields with purely China jat cultivars (Camellia, sinensis), which it has done since its founding by the British in 1898. In fact, some parts of the Estate have original tea bushes still in commercial use.

In addition to the plant material used, the elevation of the garden (around 4,000 ft.) and ample rainfall help to produce a tea which is well-balanced, full bodied and brisk: an ideal profile for an organic iced tea.

Through a recent collaboration with one of our long-time tea suppliers in India, we have established a new standard of South India Black Fannings for use as a single-origin iced tea blend, or as an enhancement to your existing iced tea blend.

Our new standard #6004 lends deep red liquor color, rich and juicy flavors, and just enough brightness to shine through any iced tea application. Standard #6004 can be blended with our proprietary iced tea blend #5001, China Black BOP, to create a zesty and complex iced tea.

We are excited to support the revival of a lesser-known tea producing area in North India: Kumaon. Through a collaborative effort with the production team at the Champawat Tea Estate, we have found a tea that shows both classic North Indian character, and unique and delicious flavors that can only be created in the Kumaon tea producing region.

This cup shows a hybrid character including the woodsy, resiny, loamy qualities typical of teas from eastern China, alongside the malty, leafy autumnal notes typical of Dooars and Terai in the foothills below Darjeeling. This cup is less astringent than comparable teas from India or Sri Lanka, but still retains enough structure to carry a bit of milk, particularly if made just a bit stronger than usual.

Remarkably smooth for such a small grade. Offers benchmark breakfast tea flavor notes of toasted grain, tobacco leaf and a slightly savory quality. The smaller particle size gives darker cup color and a weightier palate presence, but does so without the astringency of a comparable cup from India or Sri Lanka. Great for someone who wants the color and character of a typical breakfast tea but has low tolerance for astringency. Adding milk to a stronger than usual steeping of this tea would make for a full bodied brew indeed.