It’s been a long wait this year but winter flush teas from the Nilgiris – the Blue Mountains of the south of India – have finally arrived.

We look forward to these teas (popular world over as the ‘Nilgiri orange pekoes’) with much anticipation every year. Plucked between late December and January, winter flush teas stand at the golden mean of being sublimely aromatic and remarkably intense. The teas from this part of the country are without pretence, pleasantly easy on the palate, and one that anybody can enjoy – be it a newbie or a nerd.

In an endeavour to help you navigate these beautiful teas from the south better, we’ve put together a short and quick guide to the teas from the Nilgiris.