Chai, chai

It may be India’s most popular beverage, but not everyone can make a good cup of tea. Or pick the finest leaves, for that matter. The Indian luxury market is flooded with a wide variety of specialty teas — and we pick a few of the best, ready to brew, from some of India’s finest tea makers.

Romance of tea

Craft House, the luxury boutique at The Metropolitan Hotel, stocks a gourmet collection of fine teas, including flavours such as masala, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, mint, Earl Gray and more experimental flavours such as apple, lemon and orange. The finely-blended Craft House Ayurveda Tea is said to be 100 per cent organic green tea blended with herbs. It is presented in a pyramid-shaped bag, crafted to maintain the flavour and aroma. The gift set is available in a set of 10 high-grade tea bags for Rs 400 per pack, packed in food grade foils to maintain freshness and then shrink-wrapped in wooden boxes.

Organic high

If you are one of those who wonders just how organic an “organic” tea really is, Organic India is probably the safest bet. Their teas are light, subtle and pure. And easy on the pocket, too. Try the Tulsi India Breakfast Tea, a fine blend of tulsi leaves with organic tea, or the Tulsi Sweet Lemon Tea, which has a light lemony flavour mixed with tulsi leaves, with a touch of natural sweetness. A pack of 18 tea bags is available for Rs 78 each at a range of boutiques and popular brand showrooms such as Fabindia.

Vintage cup

In the premium range, the Mittal’s group brings you specialty teas from Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiri and select areas of the world. Mittal’s fine teas come in 25 flavours of tea bags, and prices go up to Rs 20,000 per kg. Our pick? The Assam White Tea Brocade (Rs 300 for 50 gm) makes a lovely gift, or even a great buy for yourself, to add a little more taste to your cup. This tea is rich in antioxidants, thanks to a recent innovation in the tea making process. For those who swear by Darjeeling tea, try Mittal’s Darjeeling Vintage Tea Precious Can (40gm) for Rs 210. This tea is “rare”, for, in the summer harvest of the year 2001, just two tea estates in Darjeeling produced 150 kg of tea, qualifying it as “vintage”. It is characterised by a rich aroma and taste. The infused leaf is so fragrant that the same leaf can be used to make a very decent second, and sometimes a third cup. Stir and sip!