6 Nilgiri Teas: Rich Flavors At Bargain Prices

WHAT IS NILGIRI TEA?

Nilgiri tea is produced in the Nilgiris District of Southern India. It has a smooth, balanced, pleasing taste profile and often serves as a base for flavored teas.

An excellent cup at a great value

Even the best of Nilgiri teas do not share the global stardom of other Indian black teas like Darjeeling and Assam. But they’re well known for being reasonably priced and suitable for crafting a wide variety of tea blends. Nilgiri teas don’t usually have any characterizing aromas or flavors, but that’s actually why tea makers love them. Medium-bodied, naturally sweet, smooth, and mellow, they lend themselves to any kind of brew – hot or cold. The secret to their subtle, beautifully balanced taste lies in the unique climate of the Nilgiris. This region has two monsoons, quite like Sri Lanka, which impacts growing and production cycles and leads to a smooth, well-rounded flavor in the tea leaves.

What does Nilgiri tea taste like?

The Nilgiri region produces “solid everyday black teas” that make for a “fragrant cup and smooth taste.” Their flavor and strength “last through a second steep,” though some tea drinkers detect a hint of bitterness the second time around. The tea “tastes great with milk and sugar,” or in an iced form. In fact, Niligiri black teas tend to be “brighter and more refreshing than standard iced teas,” with a taste that is “really smooth and not overwhelming.” Niligiri green teas are also known for being “balanced, with some astringency and some sweetness.”  Many open with a “pleasant malty flavor” and develop “a hint of sweetness on the 2^nd and 3^rd steepings”.

What is Nilgiri’s “Frost Tea”?

Nilgiri produces a rare type of black tea, known as a “frost tea” harvested in the winter. The quick chill creates a concentrated sweet, very similar to what you would find in an “ice wine.”

Where to buy the best Nilgiri tea online?

We feature only the best online tea shops and earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

Filters Sort results

Reset Apply

Nilgiri Breakfast Black Tea A premium breakfast black tea from the Nilgiris with rich, intense notes of rosewood. The choicest blend of delectable black teas from few of the most popular estates bordering the beautiful town of Coonoor, surrounding the ethereal Nilgiri Hills in Southern India. A farm-fresh, toasty, and exquisite black tea with an appealing dark-amber coloured liquor. Indulge in the rich, full-bodied liquor blessed with intense and brisk notes of rosewood. An uplifting and delightfully brisk cuppa from the South! Truly exotic and indulgent. SHOP HERE
Classic Black Tea Citrus, creamy, light. This bright and brisk high grown estate whole leaf Nilgiri tea has been carefully hand-blended with smooth rich Yunnan golden buds to create a supremely classic infusion that can be enjoyed at any time of day. SHOP HERE
Blue Mountain Nilgiri Oolong Tea A bountiful Oolong tea from Nilgiri with a mix of nutty, tropical, and floral notes. Courtesy of the renowned Glendale Tea estate from the tranquil region of Nilgiri, our Blue Mountain Nilgiri Oolong Tea is blessed with an array of nutty and tropical fruit flavours with uplifting floral tones of orchids and cherry blossom. A sweet and mellow liquor with a hint of astringency and a lingering aftertaste. Truly a luscious cup that is best enjoyed with a dash of sugar or honey! SHOP HERE
Havukal Special Winter Frost Black Tea A brisk and robust Nilgiri with delightful floral notes layered with muted fruity flavors. Sweet, floral fragrance welcomes you right away with this rare and unique Nilgiri winter flush. As you take in the aromas, you'll find notes of ripe fruits come in as well. This medium-bodied cup is brisk and strong from the first sip with those exquisite floral notes taking over and growing throughout. The cup gains a dimension with subdued fruity flavors playing around the edges. The finish is sweet with leafy hints that stay on to end the cup perfectly. SHOP HERE
Glendale Special Spring Twirl Black Tea A fragrant Nilgiri cup, full and brisk with delicate raw fruity notes and brighter ones of wintergreen oil. It's rare that a Nilgiri gets picked by our experts in spring. It has to be pretty special. This one's teeming with the aromas of raw fruits, amaryllis, wintergreen oil and forest greens. A treat to the senses indeed. And once you take a sip you'll find those delicate notes like melon rind come over with a full and brisk body. The liquor comes alive with wintergreen flavors at the heart made sweeter by floral hints toward the end. The experience completes with fine traces of pine in the aftertaste. A must-have this spring. SHOP HERE
Blue Blossom Oolong Tea This high-grown Nilgiri oolong is aromatic, smooth and offers a sweet floral experience. This aptly named oolong comes from the Blue Hills of South India. It exudes the floral character gained from the terroir in its aroma and taste. The fragrance is lifted and the liquor quite smooth giving the cup an endearing character. With a full-body the initial sips are subtly sweet as those buoyant notes of white flowers like lilies and orchids grow. Fruity hints, although subdued, play around the edges lending more depth to the cup. As the floral notes fade in the end, slight nuttiness shows and makes up a distinct, mellowed aftertaste. SHOP HERE

More tea, please!

7 Refreshing Lemon Teas, Delish Hot or Iced

Genmaicha Tea for a Savory cup with a Touch of Popcorn

The Complete Guide to Oolong. 10 Best Tea Picks.

Isabelle Oland

Isabelle is a freelance writer, self-taught tea nerd, and tea blending enthusiast. She is a herbalist with a strong interest in Ayurveda. Each year Isabelle travels extensively, returning with tea samples from around the world. She is a big fan of handmade teaware and Japanese green teas.