Are you ready to develop your palate with gourmet tea? Try a few selections from individual estates or gardens to taste the differences in plantings, elevation, agricultural practices, and climate.
Here are famous estates that prize these selections enough to add their own name to them.
Enjoy!
Gourmet green teas
Ambootia Darjeeling Green Organic
The Ambootia Estate is in India, close to Nepal and Bhutan. It is one of the first tea gardens started by the British in the 19th century. Located in the fertile Darjeeling foothills of the Himalayas, the climate is wet but still temperate even at 6500 feet. Their premium green tea includes Fair Trade, 100% Certified Organic, and Bio-Dynamic teas. This estate maintains natural forests to shade the tea plants. They also use bio-dynamic preparations of composted herbs including dandelion, chamomile, yarrow, valerian, nettle, and oak bark for fertilizer.
Azmabad Estate, Terai
Azmabad (or Azamabad Estate) is in the Terai region south of Darjeeling, India. The Terai region includes grasslands, forests, and savannahs across three countries: India, Bhutan, and Nepal. This agricultural area is below the Himalayan mountains and thrives on water rich in minerals from the Himalayan rivers, especially after the monsoons.
Dhajea FTGFOP1 2nd Flush Green Darjeeling
This Darjeeling estate is called Dhajea or “the place of prayer flags.” It was first cultivated in1870 as part of the Moondakotee Tea Estate and averages 3000 foot elevations.
Fatichera Organic De-caf Green
From the Tipur region of northern India, this tea uses the CO2 decaffeination method.
Iddalgashinna BOP1 Organic Ceylon
Premium green tea from Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) are more highly rated now that tea gardens like Iddalgashinna have adopted organically grown standards and biiodynamic agricultural techniques. The teas have become more “flavory” according to experts. This excellent garden is 6500 feet in the southeastern Beragala hills of Uva and is interplanted in the native rainforest.
Melfort Gunpowder GP1 Ceylon
Makaibari Estate
One of the most famous premium green tea growing areas using organic and biodynamic agricultural practices, Makaibari Village Development consistently produces top quality Darjeeling teas.
Makaibari Green Darjeeling, Organic Biodynamic
Makaibari Green Darjeeling First Flush
Oliphant Estate
In Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), this tea garden in the prized Nuwara Eliya mountain region was the first to plant China tea plants with the guidance of Mr. Oliphant in the 19th century. The 4000 foot elevations produce some of the few green teas from Sri Lanka.
Oliphant Ceylon Green (Sri Lanka)
Oliphant Mao Feng
Oliphant OPA
Oothu Green Organic
This tea garden is located in a tropical rainforest, approximately 40 miles from the southern tip of India. The plantation was converted to strictly organic cultivation in 1988 because of the advantages of its location, surrounded by large forests and isolated from contaminated pollutants. Agricultural techniques include vermiculture (worm compost) and natural cultivation. They are certified by IFOAM, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, and meet U. S. organic standards. They produce about 1 million kg. of tea annually.
Pascoe’s Woodlands Estate Superfine Green Organic Nilgiri
In the Blue Mountains in southern India, this garden produces fragrant and brisk organically grown greens.
Putharjhora Green Organic
Putharjhora gardens are on the plains in India, below the Darjeeling area. They have converted to organic and Fair Trade cooperative. This conversion was more difficult because of the need for persistent mosquito and malaria control (they now use mosquito nets).
Satrupa Assam Green
One of the Upper Assam tea gardens near the Burmese border.
Selimbong FTGFOP1 Organic Green Darjeeling
The Selimbong estates are in the Darjeeling area of India, in the foothills of the Himalayas, with views of Kanchenjungha. Some of these gardens were abandoned by the British after Indian independence and have now converted to organically grown Fair Trade production.
Selimhill Organic Green Darjeeling
Selim Hill is of the oldest tea gardens in the Darjeeling area of northern India, in the Himalayan foothills. It was started by Mr. Henry, an English planter, in 1800. They have converted to organic and biodynamic agricultural practices. The whole estate contains four worker villages, walking and riding trails bordering on wildlife sanctuaries , Mother Teresa’s orphanage for babies “Santa Bahwan,” and the famous 147-year-old Selim Hill Bungalow, now with rooms for rent for tourists.
