Dr Hastings Whim

Quantity of tea leaves: 3 gram
Temperature of water: 90°
Infusion time: 3 minutes
Maximum number of infusions: 3 times

Begin by heating water to 90°C, the optimal temperature to unlock the delicate and rich flavours of Dr Hastings Whim. For a Western-style brew, place about 3 grams of Dr Hastings Whim leaves into your teapot or infuser (about 250 ml), ensuring there is ample space for the leaves to expand and release their essence.

Pour the heated water over the leaves, fully covering them, and let them steep for 3 minutes for the initial infusion. Longer brews produce a thicker, slightly astringent infusion with woody, tannic, and faint spruce notes. For each subsequent infusion, maintain the water temperature at 90°C or higher and extend the brewing time slightly to allow the tea to reveal new layers of its complex profile.

Enjoy up to three infusions to fully experience this exceptional Dr Hastings Whim oolong. If using the Eastern gong fu cha method, use around 5-7 grams of leaf for your gaiwan or small teapot (around 120 ml).

No matter the brewing technique, Dr Hastings Whim will consistently deliver a beautiful infusion with a deep and rich taste, inspiring a state of peace and balance.

Read more about how to brew a delicious cup of tea.

Dr Hastings Whim oolong tea showcases a delightful array of organoleptic properties, setting it apart from traditional oolongs. The dry leaves exude a sweet, honeyed, and fruity aroma, transforming into scents of dried tropical fruits such as mango, apricot, and fig.

Rinsing the leaves intensifies and deepens the aroma, unveiling floral perfume and fresh pastry notes, and eventually, a light touch of jasmine.

The taste profile is soft, sweet, and rich, featuring hints reminiscent of Glenmorangie Nectar d’Or whisky, which offers a sweet and spicy experience with nuances of nutmeg, lemon meringue, cedarwood and honeycomb. The infusion, which is the colour of young whiskey: clean, thick, and perfectly balanced, providing a rich texture that induces a state of tranquillity.

Enjoy the tantalising cooked fruit flavours and the delicious malty and fruity aftertaste with a hint of pine nuts.

Tea production in Malawi, a landlocked country in southeastern Africa, dates back to 1891 when Jesuit missionaries from Scotland introduced Chinese tea bushes via the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, making it the first African country to cultivate tea commercially. The country’s tea-growing regions, particularly Thyolo, Nkhata Bay, and Mulanje, benefit from high altitudes, rich volcanic soils, and a subtropical climate, creating an ideal terroir for tea cultivation.

Malawi primarily produces black tea for the CTC (cut-tear-curl) market, known for its strong, brisk flavour and vibrant colour, but there is also a growing interest in green and specialty teas. As one of the top tea producers in Africa, Malawian tea is a key export product, contributing significantly to the country’s economy.

Nestled in the Shire Highlands of the Thyolo district, Satemwa Tea Estate is a picturesque landscape of rolling tea gardens and pristine mahogany forests, producing a wide range of black, green, oolong, white, and dark teas. Tea here is grown at an altitude of 1000-1200 metres above sea level, produced from various local unique cultivars, and the bushes are relatively young, the plantations being 50+ years old.

Founded in 1923 by Scot MacLean Kay, the estate transformed from a tobacco farm to a tea nursery, planting its first fields in 1926 and opening the factory in 1937. Historically, much of Satemwa’s production catered to the CTC market, supplying major brands like Pickwick, Lipton, Tetley, and Yellow Label.

Today, under the leadership of third-generation farmer Alexander Kay and a dedicated team including Chisomos Custitomu and Fadson Mandala, Satemwa has shifted its focus to specialty teas, emphasising craftsmanship and quality to sustain employment and enhance the income of the local community. As one of the last independent, family-run farms in Malawi, Satemwa boasts diverse crops, including tea, coffee, hibiscus, and various herbs, while maintaining protected areas of ancient indigenous forest.

This biodiversity supports numerous species and enriches the land, further nurtured by the estate’s sustainable practices and year-round employment for its workers. In 2009, the smallholders of Satemwa obtained Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance certification, with gender equality and climate change mitigation high on the list of priorities for the estate. The emphasis on handcrafting rather than mechanisation ensures high-quality artisan tea.

Read more about Satemwa Tea Estate.

Dr Hastings Whim oolong tea is a distinguished creation from Satemwa, honouring the expertise of Dr Hastings Nyienda, a celebrated botanist at the Tea Research Institute of Malawi.

This exceptional Dr Hastings Whim oolong is crafted from the var. Assamica cultivar developed in Malawi by Dr Nyienda, which is contrary to most traditional oolongs being made from the sinensis varietal, making this oolong rather special.

Hand-picked and rolled with care and precision, the velvety brown leaves preserve their integrity and visual appeal, ensuring a tea that is both aesthetically pleasing and rich in flavour.

Read more about oolong tea in our blog.

Properly storing the Dr Hastings Whim tea leaves is crucial to retain its freshness and flavor. The key is to protect them from the elements that can compromise their quality: air, heat, light, and moisture.

Read more about how to store loose-leaf tea.