🍃Free shipping over ₹999 · Estate-direct from the Nilgiris since 1994
Forest Brews Tea Company
Whole-leaf Orthodox OP — the slow-rolled, long-leaf grade for the drinker who wants a Nilgiris tea that stands on its own without milk.
Orthodox manufacture — where the leaf is rolled whole rather than cut-torn-curled — accounts for less than 8% of Indian tea production. The labour is higher and the yield per kilo of green leaf is lower, which is why orthodox tea commands a premium and most estates skip it entirely in favour of CTC.
Our OP grade is hand-rolled using a traditional roller that preserves the leaf's cell structure. This slower process releases flavour compounds gradually during brewing, producing a complex cup with floral notes, a lighter body, and an absence of the sharp tannic spike you get from CTC. Drink it plain, in a glass, the way our estate managers do every morning.
This is the tea we send to specialty buyers in Singapore and Malaysia who source Nilgiris orthodox for blending. Now available in 100g retail packs directly from us, at estate price.
Origin
Kaircombai, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu — 1,800m elevation
Grade
OP (Orange Pekoe)
Weight
100g
Brew Temp
88–92°C
Steep Time
4–5 minutes
Five dimensions scored 0–100 from our cuppers.
Brew Guide
Use 2.5g per 200ml. Water at 88–92°C. Steep 4–5 minutes. Do not rush. Strain. Drink without milk to appreciate the full leaf character. Best in a glass or ceramic cup, not stainless.
Temperature
88–92°C
Steep Time
4–5 minutes
Select a brew style and number of cups — we’ll give you exact quantities.
Full-fat milk: 300ml — add after initial water steep. Total liquid per cup ≈ 250ml.
South Indian Kadak — Method
Simmer leaf in water first, add 150ml full-fat milk, simmer again. Strain firmly. Sweeten with jaggery. Thick, dark, strong — the classic canteen cup.
Finally found a Nilgiris orthodox that matches what I remember from the estate
I visited the Nilgiris in 2019 and was blown away by the tea served at an estate bungalow. Been trying to find that quality in retail since. This is it — whole leaf, complex, absolutely no need for milk, best drunk in a glass with late afternoon light.
Recommended this to three colleagues already
I drink this without milk or sugar every evening — it's become a ritual. The aroma from the dry leaf when you open the pouch is enough to know this is serious tea. Floral, with a subtle fruit note I haven't been able to name. Worth every rupee.
Ordered three times, now telling everyone at our tea club
Our KL tea appreciation group has been exploring Nilgiris orthodox this year and Forest Brews Premium Orthodox is our unanimous favourite. Clean manufacture, honest whole leaf, no dust, complex cup. We're considering a group order directly from the estate.
