Darjeeling ; Champagne Of Tea

Darjeeling is renowned for its high-quality tea, with the altitude, rainfall, and climate of the region contributing to the exceptional taste. Situated in the Himalayan range, Darjeeling possesses all the necessary factors for producing premium tea.

During our tenure as Station Commander in Kurseong, West Bengal, we visited Makaibari Tea Estates as part of an adventure camp organized for children under the Eastern Air Command (EAC). The tour provided us with valuable insights into the traditional 'Orthodox' processing of Darjeeling tea leaves.

Tea Leaves

Tea plucking

The tea leaves are carefully plucked by local women using bamboo baskets known as "Doko" and then weighed at the factory. The process of 'Orthodox Production' begins with withering, where moisture is slowly removed from the leaves over a period of 14-16 hours.

Following withering, the leaves undergo rolling to maintain their style and prevent overheating. Fermentation then takes place to develop the unique flavor and aroma of Darjeeling tea. The final step involves drying the leaves to produce black tea, which is then sorted, graded, and packed for sale.

Stages of Manufacture:

Withering: During this process, the green leaves are evenly spread on troughs, through which hot & cold air are blown in a regulated manner. This withering trough is normally 4 to 5 feet wide and 50 to 70 feet long. The object is to remove moisture in the leaf slowly over a period of 14 - 16 hours and in this process approximately 65% of the moisture is removed from the green leaf.

Withering Process

Rolling: The withered leaves are loaded into rollers where they are twisted by a mechanical action. The process is carefully monitored so that the style of the leaf is maintained and overheating does not occur as the delicate leaves will loose its aroma and taste. In this process the green colour of the leaf is replaced by brown coppery colour as the process of rolling under pressure twists the leaf, ruptures the cells and releases the natural juices, promoting oxidation and acceleration of pigmentation.

Fermentation: After Rolling, the leaf is spread in a cool and humid room in very thin layers. The process lasts between 2- 4 hours, depending on the temperature, humidity and leaf quality. During this process the tea develops a unique flavour and aroma. The flavour of the tea can be affected by a minutes delay in adjusting the correct fermenting period. In this stage the flavanols combine with oxygen in the air, which develops the unique flavour of Darjeeling Tea.

Drying ( Firing):The fermented leaf is taken to a dryer, where it is subjected to regulated varying temperature of 200 to 240 c for a period of 20 - 30 min. The result is the black tea whose moisture is now completely lost.

Sorting & Packing:This is the final stage, where the tea is graded according to the size of the tea granules and is packed in specially designed foil lined packages for sale.


A short note about Makaibari Tea Estates

Visit To Makaibari Tea Estates

Makaibari Tea Estates, established in 1859, is the world's first tea factory and follows sustainable practices such as permaculture. The estate retains 70% of its area under forest cover, creating a biotope for various animal species to thrive. Makaibari is known for producing the most expensive tea brand, Silver Tips Imperial, which is plucked under the full moon and highlights the essence of Darjeeling terroir.