Kokova Magazine

Welcome the Year of the Horse this Chinese New Year (31st January) with one of China's finest and most coveted teas. The exquisite 'Golden Spiral' black tea from the Hubei Province has been specially selected by The East India Company's tea master, Lalith Lenadora and is available now.

Renowned for its delicate appearance, this tea is lightly rolled creating an incredible shape with distinctive curls of dark and gold tea.

Each spring, the tender buds are picked under carefully controlled conditions often accompanied by melodious folk songs or ballads of the tea-growers. Only a very small quantity of this tea is picked in the Hubei province, which has been rated a top tea region since the Tang Dynasty, making the tea a prized addition to any household.

"If you are a strong tea lover you are going to fall in love with Golden Spiral black tea. At YST, we sampled this amazing tea this month and found it to be one of the best 'tea flavoured' teas we have encountered. The flavour is full-on and surprisingly deep; a welcome change after the recent trend towards a more delicate or floral approach to teas.

Using a generous amount of the curled leaves we initially taste-tested this tea hot and black. Satisfyingly balanced, for us, this tea is best enjoyed alone, without milk or sugar.

Although drunk traditionally as black tea in China, Mr Lenadora notes that it is one of the rare Chinese teas whose flavour and character are enhanced by adding a splash of milk - but we have to disagree. We felt that once the milk was added it destroyed the rich, deep flavour of the leaf and diluted down the impressive aroma.

If you go for strong tea bags because you are searching for a bold tea in your cup then we can recommend treating yourself to a pot of Golden Spiral Black Tea, available from the East India Company. You won't be disappointed!"

Enjoy Chinese New Year with a cup of this beautiful tea which will be sure to take you on a remarkable journey. Golden Spiral Black Tea RRP £12. For more information visit the East India Company

Year of the Horse

The horse is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. People who are born in the year of the horse are said to be very hard-working, independent and are skilled multi-taskers. They are also prone to easily falling in love. Celebrities born in the year of the horse include Genghis Khan, Rembrandt, Theodore Roosevelt, Neil Armstrong, and Bob Geldof.

"China's Hubei province is known for its rich heritage of tea, and it is a pleasure to be able to mark the occasion of Chinese New Year with such exquisite and rare leaves. This distinctive tea is delicate, yet has a surprising depth of flavour with its malt and cocoa notes."

Mr Lenadora

The East India Company's selection of tea can be purchased directly from the flagship East India Company store at 7-8 Conduit Street, Mayfair, London, Bluewater, Kent or alternatively from Harrods, Knightsbridge, London, and from the new franchise stores in Kuwait and Qatar.