In Bengali, Makaibari means "cornfield," a nod to the history of these lands once dedicated to subsistence farming, long before tea plants came to cultivate them. Founded in 1859, Makaibari is one of the oldest tea gardens in Darjeeling, and one of the few to have been planted and managed for over 150 years by an Indian family, the Banerjee, a unique case in a region long marked by British colonial influence.
Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, on steep slopes bordered by primeval forests, the estate benefits from exceptional terroir. Here, mists rise from the valleys each morning, summers remain mild, and winters impose their vegetative rest: ideal conditions that give Makaibari teas their inimitable signature, all finesse and brilliance.
Makaibari is also famous for its "moonlight plucking": on certain full moon nights, the gardens come alive for a leaf harvest by moonlight. This rare ritual, reserved for select batches, gives rise to teas of remarkable subtlety and vibrancy, underscoring the estate's pursuit of excellence.
And Rajah Banerjee, a visionary pioneer, not only transformed Makaibari into an organic and fair trade garden: he cultivated a real community there, reforested the estate, and initiated educational and solidarity projects, making tea a vector of human and environmental progress.
Our House is deeply attached to Makaibari because this garden embodies our core values: excellence in selection and expertise, the generosity of sharing, a commitment to human connection and solidarity, and the creativity that drives us to explore and reinvent. Through its teas, Makaibari offers much more than exceptional taste: each leaf tells a story of care, respect for nature, and conviviality, resonating with our quest for emotion, pleasure, and humanity in every cup.
