Dubai, United Arab Emirates– Tea is a journey and a discovery of a wonderful heritage which was introduced to India in 1837. Each Spring, TWG Tea embarks on a pilgrimage to the Northeast region of India in West Bengal, high in the foothills of the Himalayan Plateaus, in the search of some of the finest and most celebrated Darjeeling first flush harvests.
Over deep mountain valleys shrouded in cool misty clouds lies a verdant terrain, a winding passage of luscious terraced steps where some of the most revered tea leaves are cultivated on family-owned estates. The unique terroir of Darjeeling, with its cool temperatures, high altitude of up to 2,500 meters, distinctive soil and rainfall, imparts a unique and naturally occurring quality and flavour that yields some of the most exceptional and sought after black teas in the world, where no two gardens or harvests taste alike.
TEA PRODUCTION: A LABOUR OF LOVE
The secret of a fine cup of Darjeeling tea is also the process behind it, from climate and soil conditions, organic cultivation and harvesting techniques to sustainable farming practices and tea processing methods.
One of the most labour-intensive processes in the world, TWG Tea Darjeeling teas are carefully hand-harvested by skilled tea pickers. It takes approximately 20,000 to 22,000 tender shoots, the two leaves and a bud of newly grown tea plants, to produce 1kg of first flush Darjeeling.
BEHIND EVERY FINE CUP OF DARJEELING TEA
Behind an exceptional cup of Darjeeling tea is a dedicated and skilled workforce working to produce the marvellous teas in the TWG Tea collection. TWG Tea prioritises caring for the farmers and communities we source from, and understands the customs and traditions of the people who call the tea plantation their home.
On one of the TWG Tea partner estates in Darjeeling, primary schools offer education to children and community centres play host to social activities. In another, an onsite hospital and hospice provide medical support, and cows are freely distributed to all members of staff as a source of milk and additional income for the workers’ families.
The most coveted among all Darjeeling harvests available throughout the year is the first Spring harvest, also known as the King of Black Teas. Preciously encased in a limited-edition tea tin adorned with rich, earthy terracotta and gold hues, the 2023 Darjeeling Nouveau from the Grand Mode Tea Collection is rich in aroma and complex in flavour, blended by TWG Tea connoisseurs to bring out the outstanding seasonal notes of ripe fruits and nuts.
Highly prized by tea enthusiasts around the world, a curated selection of 15 loose leaf harvests from celebrated estates of Darjeeling will be arriving by air and available in limited quantities from April 2023.
Beyond the remarkable flavours in the teacup, tea is a legacy that invites all to embark on a voyage to discover and explore rich cultures; an experience like no other that will bring people back, time and again, in pursuit of the intangible qualities of TWG Tea.
2023 Darjeeling Nouveau from the Grand Mode Tea Collection, AED 208 (100g).
A premium selection of single-estate loose-leaf Darjeeling First Flush Harvests, from AED 116 per 50g.