Green Verbena

Quantity of tea leaves: 3 gram
Temperature of water: 80°
Infusion time: 3 minutes
Maximum number of infusions: 2 times

Begin by heating water to 80°C, the optimal temperature to unlock the delicate and refreshing flavours of Green Verbena. For the brew, place about 3 grams of Green Verbena 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. Enjoy up to two infusions to fully experience this delightful blend.

Green Verbena is also an ideal base for a delicious iced tea during hot summer days, making it a versatile choice for both hot and cold beverages. No matter the brewing technique, Green Verbena will consistently deliver a beautiful infusion with a bright, citrusy flavour that refreshes and invigorates.

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

Green Verbena offers a refreshing and invigorating sensory experience. The dry leaves emit a fresh citrus aroma with spicy notes, thanks to the addition of lemon verbena. Upon infusion, the tea reveals a pale yellow with a hint of orange hue liquor that exudes a bright, zesty fragrance.

The taste is smooth and balanced, combining the vegetal notes of the green tea with the crisp, clean flavours of lemon verbena. The infusion has a velvety texture on the palate, with a lingering, refreshing finish that is both uplifting and soothing. Each sip of Green Verbena transports you to the lush landscapes of Malawi, where nature meets the art of tea making.

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.

Experience the refreshing taste of Green Verbena, a unique blend of hand-picked green tea leaves from the Zomba cultivar family and locally sourced lemon verbena, both cultivated at the Satemwa Tea Estate in Malawi. The green tea leaves are steamed to preserve their vibrant colour and natural antioxidants, while the verbena adds a bright, citrusy note.

Green tea production at Satemwa involves careful plucking, withering, steaming, and drying, ensuring each leaf retains its fresh, grassy character. This harmonious blend reflects the dedication and craftsmanship of the smallholder farmers at Satemwa, who combine traditional methods with innovative techniques to create exceptional teas.

Read more about green tea in our blog.

Properly storing the Green Verbena 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.