Darjeeling tea leaves are processed in the traditional ‘Orthodox’ form. The inherent sensitive nature of the finely plucked, green leaf responds best to gentle treatment. Although differing leaf varieties require intricate variations in processing, the stages undergone are uniform.

Withering:
During this process, the green leaves are evenly spread on troughs, through which hot and cold air is blown in a regulated manner. The object is to remove moisture in the leaf slowly over a period of 14-16 hours.

Rolling:
The withered leaves are loaded into rollers where they are twisted by a mechanical action. The process is carefully monitored so that the style of the leaf is maintained and overheating does not take place.

Fermentation:
After Rolling, the leaf is spread in a cool & humid room in very thin layers. The process lasts between 2- 4 hours, depending on temperature, humidity and leaf quality. During the process the tea develops a unique flavour and aroma. "The Tea Makers sensory judgement is critical to quality of the liquor."

Drying (Firing):
The fermented leaf is taken to a dryer, where it is subjected to regulated varying temperature for a period of 20-30 min. The result is black tea whose moisture has been lost after natural fermentation is checked.

Sorting & Packing:
This is the final stage, where the tea is graded according to the size and packed in specially designed foil lined packages.