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ABOUT TEA

Darjeeling "The Champagne of Teas"

 

Darjeeling tea is universally acknowledged to be the finest tea. Its flavor is so unique that it can not be replicated anywhere else in the world. It has no equal.

Grown in the romantic and mystical mountainous region of Darjeeling, India, at an elevation of 750 - 2000 meters, this tea is imbued with an incomparable charisma and quality. Grown in century old tea gardens, these tea bushes are nurtured by intermittent rainfall, sunshine and moisture laden mellow mists. The soil is rich and the hilly terrain provides natural drainage for the generous rainfall it receives.

Tea pluckers, well aware of the status their produce enjoys throughout the world, pick only the finest two leaf and bud to enhance the unique flavor which has been described as Muscatel (denoting "grapey" taste). Darjeeling tea accounts for less than 1% of the world tea harvest. Considered the finest tea in the world, it is said that Darjeeling is to tea, what Champagne is to wine.

ASSAM - The Land of "One-Horned Rhino"

 

Located to the far North East of India along the Burmese border is the Assam tea growing region. This is the land of the one-horned rhino, the land through which the mighty river Brahmaputra winds its majestic course. This region produces more tea than any other in India.

Begin your day with this popular rich, full-bodied, pungent and sometimes malty bright liquor flavor. Goes well with milk. Used in English and Irish Breakfast blended teas.

 

 

 

 

NILGIRI - The Beautiful Blue Mountains

 

The Blue Mountains' or the Nilgiris are situated in Southern India. A picturesque range of undulating hilly landscapes where tea is grown at elevations ranging from 1000 meters to above 2500 meters.

 

Nilgiri has a mild aroma, unique taste and deep, golden color.

 

Let Nilgiri's fragrant briskness banish your troubles as it transports you to its home in the beautiful Blue Mountains of southern India.

 

 

 

Tea Processing: The freshly gathered shoots are collected and a method of withering, rolling fermenting and drying, produces the fine teas of India. Black tea makes up 98 percent of the international tea trade and is the familiar coloured tea, flavoured with a delicate aroma and should be without any bitterness. Green tea does not go through the fermenting process and the leaves are heated (roasted in an iron pan or steamed) to prevent fermentation. It makes a pale greenish-yellow tea, which is milder and slightly bitter.

In the final sorting or grading, tea acquires the colourful names that are used in the tea trade. They do not refer to the quality but to the size and appearance of the tea. There are two main grades - leaf and broken leaf.

Leaf grades: These have larger leaves and are classified as Orange Pekoe and Pekoe.
Broken leaf grades: Broken Orange Pekoe and Broken Pekoe.

Within the broken leaf type there are further divisions which include:

Fannings: All small leaf teas. They make stronger tea than broken leaves.
Dust: The smallest leaf particle size and it is certainly not "dust from the factory floor".