Tea with Elephants - Whole Leaf Black Assam from Elephant Origins



I love animals. That being said, I would love to have teatime with an elephant . . or maybe drink tea to support them! I had the pleasure of meeting the folks of Elephant Origins, founded in 2018 by Lisa Mills and Cindi Neiswonger, at the 2019 World Tea Expo and I was instantly hooked! Their tea directly supports the conservation of Asian elephants - how cool is that? Not only was their tea delicious (more on that later), but the people were very friendly, willing to talk about their passion, and above everything else, love elephants! According to their website, in 2012, plans were launched to address the risks of endangered Asian elephants in Assam, India. From there, tea producers began to create ideas and concepts on how to make the tea industry more "elephant friendly". Thus began the Elephant Friendly certification program for tea growers.



First Slurp: Although I tried their Black Assam at the Expo, I really wanted to give their tea a better "slurp". I allowed the Black Assam to steep in my French press for several minutes while watching the tea turn to a deep and rich brown colour. The first slurp was exactly what I would expect from an Assam - mild and malty. However, their Black Assam is like stroking velvet - soft and inviting. The taste was malty, earthy (but not dirt, only fresh), and with a slight hint of chocolate at the end. I normally can't drink black teas in the morning unless if I have eaten something, or else I am ill for a while. This tea was smooth enough to be consumed first thing in the morning. As many of you know, I am an advocate for not adding sugar to tea; this tea does not need anything added to it. Simply brew it and know that elephants are thanking you for it.


You can purchase their tea either loose leaf or bagged and like I said, the proceeds go toward the conservation of Asian elephants. I've already reached out to them for possible usage within my tea company! Much thanks to Elephant Origins!


Much Love and Oolong Tea!


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