Tea plantation

Terrace tea plantation near Coonoor, in the Nilgiri Hills of southern India, where tea was first planted in 1840. Known for its strong flavour and intense aroma, Nilgiri tea plays a prominent part in the contemporary tea market, although quality varies hugely, from hand-sorted, full-leaf versions (one achieved a world record price at auction in Las Vegas in 2006) to high-volume CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) production.