Touring Darjeeling: Proper Darjeeling Orange Pekoe Tea At Giddapahar Tea Estate

After Goomtee we made our way back to Kurseong and, along the way, we stopped at Giddapahar tea estate to take a look at their gardens and production facilities.

Mr. Lochan walked us through production at the facility. The very first leaves picked this season were wilting in the wilting troughs. The smell and sight was quite pleasing. We walked through the factory as Mr. Lochan explained how minute details in the production of tea here has changed as newer and time friendly techniques and machinery has replaced the old. While he was saying this, an old Indian lady was sifting newly processed leaves by hand using an old traditional bamboo sifter.

From the production facility we went into a cozy cottage-like building where we were served tea in a fancy, hand painted, white porcelain, English style tea set. The orange pekoe from last year was fragrantly delicious. True to Mr. Lochan’s site which describes the tea from Giddapahar as “delicate owing to the lower temperatures and being covered by mist for much of the year forcing the bushes to grow slowly producing a fine bouquet with great aromatic quality and delicate floral nose.”

The tea was only to be overshadowed by the delicious traditional Indian cakes and cookies that accompanied this tea. Some of which were coated in decadent gold foil and others silver.

One left the Giddapahar estate smiling, feeling perhaps more buzzed off the sweets than the tea.

Peace