Welcoming NEW Westholme Estate Teas
DARJEELING :: A PROFILE OF EXQUISITE TEA ::
Like verdant waves, undulating as they wind around the foothills of the Himalayas – and facing the breathtaking Mirik valley, Sungma and Turzum gardens, together, comprise one of the most lush and scenic tea estates in Darjeeling. With a protective canopy of trees shading the bushes, and Darjeeling District’s signature rolling mist, protecting the delicate fragrant blades that emerge from the stalks, the plants develop uniquely aromatic leaves, which range in bouquet from floral, fruity, and honeyed in character during the spring to more muscatel, earthy and woody from the second to fourth plucking.
Having an altitude of up to 5,600 feet places Sungma Estate among the highest reaching gardens in Darjeeling district. The thin air, cool climate, and mist help produce the kind of complexity that a variety of flavour compounds, nutrients, amino acids, and antioxidants render in the leaves. The combination of China, China Hybrid, and Clonal bushes ensure that the flavour remains distinctive and the quality high. The high altitude, Rung Bong valley, is famous for growing tea considered to be of exclusive quality. With temperatures ranging from 3 degrees Celsius in winter to the high twenties in the summer. It has annual rainfall of 2500 to 3000 mm during July to September – an environment which is ideal for producing high quality leaves with a balance of fruity and floral notes, a golden liquor, and excellent aroma.