Tea plantations were established in Indonesia in the early seventeenth century, but did not begin to flourish until the 1800's when the tea bushes grown from tea seeds from China were replaced with tea seeds from Assam. Indonesia is made up of thousands of islands with tea cultivation on Java, Sulawesi and Sumatra. The main tea producing island is Java with tea gardens located in the western mountainous region. Their perfect environment of high altitude, rich volcanic soil and nearness to rain forest preserves produces teas with characteristics of a high grown Ceylon.

The Malabar Tea Plantation is owned and operated by the state-owned company PT Perkebunan Nusantara in Malabar, West Java, Indonesia. The plantation, established in 1896, resides at approximately 4900 ft above sea level. The tropical climate and the volcanic soil found here make this an ideal place to grow tea.

The medium-brown leaves brew to a greenish-brown leaf, with a flowery aroma. The amber colored cup is medium-bodied, brisker tasting than a Ceylon, and has a flavorful infusion with a delightful oak cask aftertaste.

Brew tea at 212º - steep for 3 minutes.