Handmade Treasure

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 a temperature of 90°C, the optimal heat to bring out the rich and multifaceted flavours of Handmade Treasure. If brewing the tea Western style, place about 3 grams of Handmade Treasure leaves into your teapot or infuser (about 250 ml), ensuring there is enough 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.

As you savour the first cup, take a moment to appreciate the exquisite flavours of honey blossom and orange-chocolate candy, accompanied by a sweet, fruity aroma with plum notes. For each subsequent infusion, maintain the water temperature at 90°C or higher and extend the brewing time, allowing the tea to reveal new layers of its complex profile.

Enjoy up to three infusions to fully experience this exceptional handcrafted African tea. If you are brewing Handmade Treasure using the Eastern gong fu cha method, use around 5-7 g of leaf for your gaiwan or small teapot (around 120 ml).

Regardless of brewing technique, Handmade Treasure will consistently deliver a delicious dark amber infusion.

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

Handmade Treasure offers a delightful sensory experience, featuring flavours of honey blossom and the irresistible “Orangette” – a Belgian orange candy dipped in dark chocolate.

The aroma of the dry tea leaves presents sweet, fruity, and berry motifs, with prominent dried plum, raspberry and blackcurrant jam notes. Once warmed, the tea leaves exude woody and fruity notes that become even brighter and stronger after the first rinse/infusion.

The taste profile of Handmade Treasure is soft, sweet, and deep, with honey, cacao bean and fruity nuances, and the infusion reveals a clean, beautiful dark amber colour. This tea has a soft, silky texture with a long, sweet and juicy aftertaste reminiscent of light and floral oriental incense and forest berry jam.

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.

Handmade Treasure is crafted from the finest Bvumbwe cultivar leaves of the Assamica varietal, known for their exceptional quality and vibrant orange hue in the cup. The tea is entirely handmade, preserving the integrity and beautiful appearance of the leaf.

The tea-making process begins with the careful hand-picking of the tender leaves, selecting only the highest grade of the mature leaves, ensuring a deep, rich, and multifaceted taste, which makes this handcrafted black tea a true treasure, made with love and expertise of Satemwa’s skilled tea artisans. Then, these leaves undergo a meticulous withering process to reduce moisture content and enhance flavour concentration.

After withering, the leaves are gently rolled to break their cell walls and initiate oxidation, a crucial step in developing the tea’s characteristic flavours and aromas. Following light oxidation, the leaves are expertly dried to halt the process and lock in Handmade Treasure’s distinct profile.

Read more about black tea in our blog.

Properly storing the Handmade Treasure 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.