Georgian White Tea Tovli

Brew & Taste

The infusion has a delicate, smooth, and moderately full texture. The brewed leaves release a pure and intense aroma similar to that of freshly picked tea leaves. The taste combines sweet tones with herbs, flowers, and the earthiness of tea plants. The aftertaste is slightly dry and pungent. Overall, Tovli white tea is refreshing and warms your body up right away.

Origins

Georgia was once the fourth largest tea producer in the world. Georgian tea was a part of every Soviet household, but after 1991, their tea industry collapsed. Today, however, Georgian farmers are finally returning to the tradition of tea farming. While they no longer grow tea on a large scale and prefer to focus on organic Chinese tea plants, smaller plantations and manual production are much more important to them than quantity.

The Guria region, where the tea comes from, is located in the west of the country. Its name probably comes from the word "guri," which means "heart" in the local dialect. Or it may refer to the dramatic events of the 8th and 9th centuries, when the region was undergoing serious troubles. Today, Guria is known for its Nabeglavi mineral water, magnetic sand, and tea.

The climate here is humid and subtropical, with an average annual temperature of 12-14 °C. Warm air from the Black Sea mixes with cool air from the Meskheti Mountains, creating the ideal combination for tea plants. The plantations are located at an altitude of 330-500 meters, where milder temperatures give the plants time to grow slowly. They are purposely grown under paulownia trees, which are about 20 meters tall and are nicknamed empress trees. They bloom beautifully and protect the plants from wind and sun.

White tea undergoes the gentlest form processing, with the leaves simply left to wilt and dry. There is no fermentation or other significant intervention. Thanks to this careful handling, the tea retains a greater amount of natural antioxidants, including catechins and polyphenols.

The first harvest after winter is particularly potent. During the cold months, the plants rest and concentrate their energy in their roots. In the spring, they send all this energy into young shoots, which are used to make Tovli, a tea reminiscent of winter sleep and the joy of spring awakening.

Tea packaging preview

We pack our teas in a strong, zip-lock aluminum packet which allows you to easily re-seal its contents. This container protects the quality of the tea against humidity, light or foreign odors, all of which could noticeably affect the quality of the brew.