The Story of Persian Black Tea: From Lahijan to Silk Sahel

The Story of Persian Black Tea

Long before Persian black tea became the heart of Silk Sahel, its story began among the green hills of Lahijan.

Located in Gilan, near the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, Lahijan is known for its humid climate, rolling landscapes, and fields of tea that stretch across the mountainsides. Today, tea feels inseparable from Persian life. It is offered to guests, poured after meals, and shared in moments both ordinary and significant. Yet tea cultivation in Iran is relatively recent.

The Man Behind Iranian Tea

The development of Iran's tea industry is closely associated with Haj Mohammad Mirza Kashef ol-Saltaneh, a Qajar-era diplomat, reformer, and agricultural pioneer.

While serving as Iran's consul-general in India around the turn of the twentieth century, Kashef ol-Saltaneh studied tea cultivation and the agricultural techniques used by growers there. He sent tea seeds and instructional materials back to Tehran and later returned to Iran with tea plants and other agricultural specimens. After receiving authorization to cultivate tea domestically, he established plantations in the northern provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran.

Lahijan proved particularly well suited to the crop. Its rain, fertile soil, and temperate Caspian climate allowed tea plants to take root across its hillsides. By 1903, approximately 300,000 tea plants were growing in Lahijan alone.

Kashef ol-Saltaneh's work was not without difficulty. Early growers faced limited funding, a lack of technical expertise, and the challenge of building an entirely new agricultural industry. Still, his efforts established the foundation for tea production in Iran and earned him lasting recognition as the father of Iranian tea.

He died in 1929 and was buried in Lahijan. His mausoleum later became part of Iran's National Tea Museum, preserving his legacy in the city where his work took root.

From Imported Luxury to Persian Ritual

Persians had known and consumed tea for centuries before it was cultivated domestically. Tea became especially popular during the nineteenth century, gradually replacing coffee as the country's preferred everyday drink. By the late Qajar period, it had become so deeply embedded in daily life that it was often regarded as Iran's national beverage.

Growing tea in Lahijan gave this ritual a distinctly local identity. The drink was no longer only something brought into Iran through international trade. It could now be planted, harvested, and prepared on Persian soil.

Over time, the glass of tea became a symbol of hospitality. It accompanied family visits, business conversations, celebrations, and quiet afternoons. It was served dark and fragrant, often alongside sugar, dates, sweets, or nabat. The ritual was simple, but it carried warmth, generosity, and connection.

The Tea at the Heart of Silk Sahel

Silk Sahel was created around black tea sourced from Lahijan.

We chose Lahijan tea not simply for its aroma, but for everything it represents: the green northern landscape, generations of cultivation, and a ritual shared across Persian homes.

In the fragrance, the tea is paired with neroli and orange blossom, bringing brightness to its deep, softly tannic character. Bergamot and petitgrain open the scent with fresh citrus, while cedarwood, guaiac wood, and amber give it warmth and texture.

Top: Neroli, Bergamot, Petitgrain

Heart: Persian Black Tea, Orange Blossom

Base: Cedarwood, Guaiac Wood, Amber

A Persian Memory, Reimagined

The result is not a literal interpretation of a cup of tea. It is an impression of the world surrounding it: the scent of citrus in the air, tea leaves warming in the sun, and summer light moving across the Caspian coast.

Silk Sahel is our way of preserving this history while giving it a new form. It transforms one of the most familiar elements of Persian culture into something modern, personal, and wearable.

A fragrance rooted in Lahijan, shaped by Persian memory, and reinterpreted for today.