What is Nilgiri Tea?
This black tea is produced in the Nilgiri region in southern India. In the local language, "Nil" means blue and "Giri" means mountain range. The name comes from the purple flowers of the "Neelakurinji" tree, which bloom once every 12 years, staining the gently sloping mountains purple.
It is close to Sri Lanka and has a medium-bodied richness similar to Ceylon black tea, with a light and elegant flavor and a refreshing citrus-like finish. It is not widely available in Japan, so it is a very popular black tea at HAPPY HUNTER.
HAPPY HUNTER's tea buyer, Hiroko Ishii, chose Chamraj Tea Estate, famous for producing high-quality black tea in the Nilgiri region. This tea estate is committed to natural farming and the welfare of its workers. Its sister tea estate, Kollakunda Tea Estate, is also recognized by Guinness as the highest tea estate in the world (2,471m). Located at the top of a mountain, Kollakunda Tea Estate practices organic farming on all of its land, and is certified organic by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (JAS), as well as Steiner Biodynamic and Fairtrade certified.
Chamraj Tea Estate has been winning awards for many years and is renowned worldwide as a producer of high quality Nilgiri tea.
Chamraj Tea Estate, Kollakunda Tea Estate Qualifications and Awards
2007 Chamraj Tea Estate received 1 Star at the Great Taste Awards in the UK
2008 Kollakunda Tea Estate receives Certificate of Merit, a certification that South Indian black tea was traded at the highest price ever.
2008 Chamraj Tea Estate World Tea Championship Best Tea Winner
2010 Chamraj Tea Estate won the Golden Leaf Tea India Award from the Tea Board of UPASI
2011 Chamraj Tea Estate won the Golden Leaf Tea India Award from the Tea Board of UPASI
2012 Chamraj Tea Estate won 3 stars at the Great Taste Awards in the UK Kora Kun Tea Estate won 3 stars at the Great Taste Awards in the UK
2014 Chamraj Tea Estate won 2 stars at the Great Taste Awards in the UK
2014 Kollakunda Tea Estate was certified by Limca as the tea estate with the highest altitude in the world (2,471m).
2016 Chamraj Tea Estate received 1 Star at the Great Taste Awards in the UK
2016 Chamraj Tea Estate won the Golden Leaf Tea India Award from the Tea Board of UPASI
2018 Chamraj Tea Estate received 1 Star at the UK Great Taste Awards
2019 Chamraj Tea Estate won 2 stars at the Great Taste Awards in the UK