Assam Sona (Gold) tips is a prized purchase for us this season. The reason, it is treasured is that they can only be made from the P-126 (Panetola126) clonal varietal grown at a handful of gardens. This varietal is notable for its large, fat, buds and a small leaf which gives a tippy style of finished tea. The color gold emerges in the oxidation stage, when the sap, from the rolled leaf dries. Only the P-126 is known to produce the necessary amount of Sap required.