GLENDALE (South India)

Glendale is one of the premiere tea estates of the Nilgiri district and noted for its superb flavor with hints of jammy character. This quality is only available in Jan. and the average price during this time is generally between 2 to 3 times the price at other times of the year. Glendale is a large tea estate for the Nilgiri district. The estate covers nearly 2 square miles (1181 acres/465 hectares), of which 1.5 square miles or 900 acres is under tea cultivation. The majority of the estate is clonal which accounts for the high quality of this tea. Clonal means that the majority of the bushes come from about 3 or 4 mother bushes. The mother bushes were selected because they made the best quality tea - clearly evident in the cup. The estate employs nearly 2500 people and if you consider the average family size is 4, the estate supports nearly 10,000 people, certainly a large social responsibility. More than 60% of the estate workers are women. Workers and their families are given accommodation on the estate and they are provided with schooling for their children, medical clinics for ailments and places of worship. Glendale is a model employer in Nilgiri.

Nilgiri is a mountainous region of Tamil Nadu State in southeastern India. The peaks of the Nilgiris rise abruptly from the surrounding plains to an elevation of 5000 - 8500 feet above sea level. Tea was first planted on an experimental basis in 1835 and the first commercial tea garden was at Thiashola Tea Garden, which began operations in 1859. The tea at Thiashola was cultivated by Chinese prisoners of war, captured by the British during the Opium Wars.

The climate of the Nilgiris allows tea to be produced all year round. The first flushes of the new season are picked from April until May and account for about 25% of the region's total harvest. The 2nd flush - accounting for about 40-45% of the yearly crop is from Sept. to Nov., and lastly the third flush is from Dec. to Jan. The best teas are produced during January and August.