At last! This tea has taken so many attempts to get right, I thought it would never happen. The problem is that black tea processing destroys a large part of what you are trying to increase, namely Gamma Amino Butyric Acids.

These healthy compounds need to reach the target of 150mg per 100ml to qualify as a 'Gabalong' tea. In order to make this, we have had to use tea leaves from very high up the mountains, where the best quality is found. Higher quality, higher 'Gaba' content to start with. Normally, these leaves are made into the famous 'Jade Oolong' of Taiwan and in actual fact the farmer we have worked with does not understand why we want to do this! However, we British love our black tea, our customers have asked for it and so it has arrived! Now, of course, this is no ordinary black tea and it's health benefits aside, is worth drinking for its delicious and complex flavour alone. It marries the best of 'Honey Hon Cha' and 'Buddha's Hand' black tea to create a unique character all it's own. When I say unique I mean it, as the 20kg batch that has been made is not available to anyone but us and our customers. Needless to say, if we are able to produce another batch, it will taste different.

Now, I know that many of you will not be able to resist using this tea with milk! I am not sure what that will do to the 'Gaba' effect but of course will still contain, at a conservative guess, at least twenty times more than normal black tea. The tea does taste good with milk but needs to be brewed for at least 8 minutes if doing so. A tea cosy would be a good idea. If you drink it without, the tea will yield at least four tasty bowls, brewing for 1-2 minutes each time. Whichever way you try it, I hope you enjoy this very special tea.