Darjeelings, from India's Himalayan foothills, are known as the 'champagne of teas' with their characteristic muscatel character. There is often a great colonial history to such famous Darjeeling gardens as Margaret's Hope, Castleton or Soom. They are light, afternoon teas best drunk without milk.

The Brahmaputra valley is the main area in which these teas are grown. Assam's 2,000 gardens make it the largest producing area of the world for black teas. They have a malty flavour and should be drunk with milk. Ours have full and pungent flavours. They are ideal for breakfast and drinking in the morning.

Nilgiri teas are grown in the southern Blue Mountains close to Mysore. They have as much character as Ceylons, being fragrant and brisk but with a smoother, rounder, fuller flavour. They are grown at altitudes of around 4000 ft. Good Nilgiri teas are recognised for their quality, producing a light, bright amber liquor with a certain crispness.

The Lakyrsiew garden is situated in idyllic tea growing terrain in Meghalaya Province, between Assam and Darjeeling. This perfect and most picturesque area of mountains and lakes ...