Nilgiri
The famous Blue Mountains have been the most important tea
cultivation area in Southern India since 1840. The tea gardens in
Nilgiri are small, compared to the plantations in Assam. However, on
ca. 80,000 ha almost 25% of the total Indian tea harvest is yielded.
Tea in Nilgiri is cultivated on altitudes between 800 - 2,000 m. The
tea of these regions is full-bodied and can be distinguished by a fine,
herb and slightly citrus-like taste which reminds of the Ceylon
highgrowns. The Nilgiri tea is a main component of the so-called
English blend. Two main plucking times exist. The first flush in April
/ May makes up approximately 25% of the harvest. The second flush in
September / December accounts for 40% of the harvest and the rest is
distributed around the year.