Category: Tea Estates

Lakyrsiew is a small garden located in the hills around Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya. This Indian state is very mountainous and the word Meghalaya means “abode of the clouds”. The tea estate is run by the beautiful local,Nayantara, her husband Geert Linnebank and their son Boris. Although they only started growing tea in 2002, the history of tea in this region began more than 170 years ago.

The tea garden is located on the southern bank of Lake Umiam at an altitude of between 1,000 and 1,300 metres and benefits from heavy monsoon rains, its own spring and a protective lake mist in the dry season. All this contributes to the unique flavour of the tea at Lakyrsiew.

Nayan, Geert and Boris make tea with obsession and prioritise quality above all else, experimenting tirelessly. They pick only the best leaves, process them very gently and sell the tea in very small quantities. Organic farming methods enrich the soil and contribute to the high quality of the teas, which reflect the unique terroir and character of the region.

There are always extraordinary people behind our teas. Phyu Thwe’s journey as a tea producer in Myanmar is truly remarkable. Despite facing numerous challenges in her country, she has shown unwavering determination and deep love for her community and family. Starting off modestly in 2019, she has swiftly emerged as one of the top tea producers in the specialty tea market within just a few short years.

The teas produced at Mogok Tea Estate are unique to Myanmar and highly appreciated by consumers. They are known for their exquisite flavours, beautiful appearance and outstanding quality. Enjoying these teas allows one to experience the deep respect and reverence that Phyu Thwe and her team hold for their culture, history and nature.

The skilled workers carefully craft their delicious artisanal teas, search for new opportunities to improve and innovate, prioritise sustainability in their practices, and never give up. Their dedication makes them exceptional individuals behind the teas we enjoy.

Sakamoto Tea Garden is situated in Shibushi, Kagoshima, a small town in the southern part of Japan. About 40 years ago, the Sakamoto brothers made a significant decision and shifted to organic farming. They were aware of the harm caused by pesticides and herbicides to the environment as well as the potential impact on the tea plants and people’s health. The brothers wanted to protect the soil, the foundation of their farm, and believed they could create a tea that not only tastes exceptional but also provides health benefits. This attention to detail and commitment to organic farming practices has earned Sakamoto Tea Garden a reputation for producing high-quality teas.

Harvesting at Sakamoto Tea Garden is done once a year to allow the plants to fully mature and develop flavour. The brothers carefully prune the tea plants and utilise the leaves as organic fertiliser, enriching the soil and closing the organic farming loop.

By gradually increasing the shading over a period of three weeks, the Sakamoto brothers ensure a gentle growth in concentration of chlorophyll, caffeine and the L-theanine amino acid in the tea leaves. This meticulous shading technique is one of the factors that contribute to the exceptional quality and unique taste of the teas produced by the Sakamoto brothers along with their exquisite tea master skills.

Satemwa Tea Estate in Malawi is truly a hidden gem in the southern part of Africa. It is nestled in the Shire Highlands at an elevation of about 1,200 metres, with some lower areas next to the Thyolo Mountains. What started with a curiosity about orthodox processing, this family-operated tea garden continues enthusiastically experimenting and producing exceptional teas in a wide range. Scotsman Maclean Kay founded the tea and coffee estate in 1923, and his grandson, Alex Kay, continues his work, making this place a true treasure for the tea world.

Commitment to sustainability and community well-being sets Satemwa apart from many big corporations in the African tea industry. They prioritise eco-friendly practices, ensuring that their tea garden will thrive for generations to come. They are also actively involved in the development of the community where people are highly valued and cared for.

Kaley means forest in the Sinhala language. Kaley Tea Estate preserves its land in close proximity to a natural and wild ecosystem and sources tea seeds from 100-year-old tea trees. The tea garden borders the largest Sinharaja rainforest in Sri Lanka and has a unique terroir and microclimate, which affects the taste of the teas.

This garden sets an exemplary standard for sustainable and responsible tea cultivation in Sri Lanka. By applying agroforestry concepts, not only does the farm produce high-quality tea, but it also contributes to the conservation and development of the community.

Udena Wickramasooriya, the founder of Kaley Tea Estate, focuses on quality rather than quantity and produces delicious, artisanal teas in extremely small batches. By providing education, healthcare and housing, Udena and his team are addressing important aspects of the community’s well-being and ensuring that they have access to essential resources.

Amba Tea Estate, one of the most charming places in Sri Lanka, is located in the Uva Highlands. Picturesque landscapes, genuine hospitality, wonderful and very warm-hearted people who work hard to make our cup of tea perfect – all this is Amba.

Amba produces exquisite teas in very small batches, focusing on high quality, nuances and remarkable flavours. The specialty tea grown here gets its uniqueness from the careful plucking (only one leaf and one bud), to the meticulous processing by hand, and the precise professional control at every stage of production. The workers at Amba, led by production manager and talented tea maker Neethanjana Senadheera, have years of experience and expertise, ensuring that every batch of tea is crafted to perfection.

Amba is actively involved in environmental conservation efforts. They follow organic farming practices, which eliminate the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides, and promote biodiversity on their estate.

Simon Nihal Bell, the manager of the tea garden, runs Amba with a passion to produce high-quality teas and aims to improve the life of the local community. The estate is committed to social sustainability and pays 10 percent of the profits to its employees, uplifting their livelihoods. By establishing itself as a successful model for artisanal tea production, Amba aims to have a positive impact on the tea industry in Sri Lanka as a whole and hopes that other tea producers will be inspired to adopt similar practices, which in turn will benefit workers, communities and the environment across the country.