Guwahati: A batch of Assam orthodox specialty tea produced by Mokalbari Tea Estate was sold at the Kolkata auctions for a record-breaking Rs 30,000 per kg on Tuesday by Paramount Tea Marketing.
This remarkable Golden Tips tea was purchased by Golden Tips, Kolkata. This price surpasses the previous highest recorded price in the Kolkata auctions by the same producer, which was Rs 22,000 last season, according to Surajit Hazarika of Paramount Tea Marketing. The garden is situated in Dibrugarh district in upper Assam.
Mokalbari is one of the top Assam Orthodox tea manufacturers and rarely sells such Pure Golden Tips teas in auctions, as these high-value teas are usually exported directly to Europe.
The name Mokalbari traces its origin to the words “MOKAL” and “BARI”. The word MOKAL stands for a special variety of tall bamboos having thick diameters of 12″ or more while the word BARI signifies a specific location or garden. Thus, the composite word Mokalbari means a garden of a special variety of thick and tall bamboo trees.
Mokalbari Group has three tea estates spread over 800 hectares of area under tea, producing 2.00 million Kgs annually. Mokalbari has two running factories capable of producing 2.5 million kgs of CTC and Orthodox varieties.
Tender buds make tips in orthodox manufacturing. The tip color is golden from some special cultivars. Golden Tips tea contains only golden tips and a minuscule amount of black leaves.
“Such Golden Tips need to be crafted to perfection. This involves the maintenance of the special cultivar, which requires more care, and the delicate plucking of only the tender buds from the special cultivar. The tender buds are carefully manually plucked, and the entire process—from withering to rolling to sorting to packing—requires the strictest supervision” said Ajay Jalan, Director of Mokalbari Tea Estate.
” Mokalbari Tea Estate is blessed with a vast plantation of these special cultivars, and our garden team’s efforts ensure that every step in the manufacturing of Golden Tips is meticulously executed,” an official from Mokalbari said.
“We had a small window of conducive weather during the peak Second Flush, which enabled us to produce an exquisite batch of Pure Golden Tips tea. This tea boasts a malty character and is full of flavour, making it a true delight for tea connoisseurs,” Jalan said.
A tea expert said that tips represent the buds in “two leaves and a bud. “Golden is a colour descriptive. Could also be Silver.
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“The Golden Tippy Teas manufactured in the estate have earned the distinction for their full-bodied, strong liquor, aroma, smooth and malty flavour and rich taste” an official of Mokalbari Group said.
“We have major contracts with our European buyers for these teas,” Jalan said.
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