UPPER NAMRING (Darjeeling)

When you imagine a visit to an Indian Tea Estate, what images come to mind? If you answered Cessnas, bouncy jeeps and crude rope bridges over deep wet mountain gorges, you've pretty much hit the nail on the head - especially if you're talking about visiting Namring Estate in Darjeeling's Teesta Valley. Our first visit in 1982 was an experience we've never forgotten. The trip began with a nail-biter of a flight into Badogra airport aboard a 4-seater that appeared to be held together with hemp twine. Upon arrival we were met at the airport by the driver of the equally rickety, WWII era Jeep, that would transport us up into the hills and onward to Namring Estate. Reflecting on this jeep ride over the years, we've come to understand that in many ways we view our lives as pre-jeep ride to Namring and post-jeep ride to Namring. Why? Well, believe us, you've never lived until you've experienced a near Jeep break down suspended 100s of meters above a raging river on a frayed rope bridge. To say the experience was nerve-wracking is a gross understatement. Thankfully, we arrived at the Estate in one piece, safe, sound and ready to taste some tea.

The morning after our arrival was equally as impressive as our journey to the Estate, albeit for much easier-going reasons. Namring Estate, which is one of Darjeeling's largest, is also one of the region's most beautiful. Immediately after an early breakfast, we were driven out to nearby Tiger Hill to take in the sunrise over Mount Kanchenjunga. Sunlight filtering over the mountain seemed to illuminate the craggy peak with all the colors known to humankind. Given the fact that Kanchenjunga rises 8586 metres/28,169 feet into the blue Himalayan sky, the experience was breathtaking to say the least. And then there was the tea - the estate sits at an altitude of 1380 meters/4527 feet where the air is crisp and the sunlight bright making it one of the world's best places for growing camellia Sinensis. The grounds are divided into upper and lower sections and contain 3 gardens, Poomong, Jingiam and Namring. In each section, the vigorously flushing bushes grow row upon emerald row on the stepped fields the first planters cut into the steep hillsides many decades ago. (Namring Estate is one of Darjeeling's oldest. Today it is also one of the largest, providing sustainable jobs for more than 2000 people.)

As you can see, our first visit to the estate was a memorable one. We're pleased to tell you that freshly steeped Namring 2^nd flush TGFOP1 is equally as memorable. On the nose, Namring is fresh with distinctive floral notes. In the cup the tea offers exceptional muscatel notes balanced by a pleasant astringency and gentle jasmine-like undertones. A tea you will never forget - we know we won't.