Provenance

Where Our Tea Begins

Dehing Tea originates in Ambikapur, Pengeri, a lush, tea-growing village in Upper Assam known for producing some of the region’s most distinctive teas. Assam is often called the “tea garden of India”, a title earned through its vast tea-producing landscape, rich soils and ideal subtropical climate. Within this heritage sits Shangrila Tea Estate, the home of Dehing Tea and where our family-run tea gardens have been cultivated for generations.

 

A Landscape Defined by River, Forest and Rainfall

The Shangrila Tea Estate is shaped by its surroundings, sitting beside the protected rainforest of Dehing Patkai National Park and bordered by the dense Buridehing Forest. 

 

The Dehing River, a tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra, flows through Assam, nourishing the region's fertile plains and nurturing our tea gardens.

This geography creates a natural microclimate ideal for tea. The combination of mineral-rich alluvial soil, high humidity, consistent rainfall and warmth throughout the year forms the foundation of Assam’s distinctive tea profile; full-bodied, rounded and naturally robust.

Wildlife thrives here. Herds of elephants move through the forest corridors, and it’s not uncommon to see them wandering through our tea estate, reminding us how closely our work is tied to the landscape around us.

 

The Journey to Pengeri

 

Pengeri lies close to the foothills of Arunachal Pradesh. Despite its natural beauty, Pengeri remains largely untouched by commercial tourism. Most visitors reach us by flying into Dibrugarh, the nearest major airport, before driving roughly three hours east. The road passes through Digboi, one of India’s oldest oil towns, and then into the lush countryside of the Tinsukia district.

As you approach Pengeri, the scenery shifts to thick forest cover and winding estate roads; quiet, green and unmistakably Assam. This is where our gardens are located, and where each leaf of Dehing Tea begins its life.

 

A Tea Estate with Deep Roots

Our family has managed and nurtured Shangrila Tea Estate for decades, maintaining traditional cultivation practices while integrating responsible and sustainable methods. While most of our teas come directly from our own gardens, we also work closely with skilled neighbouring farmers who share the same commitment to quality and care.

Every leaf is harvested by hand and processed at our tea factory, ensuring the tea’s journey, from garden to cup, remains closely connected to the place it comes from.

 

Is Shangrila Tea Estate One of Assam’s Leading Tea Gardens?

Assam is home to hundreds of tea gardens, many of which are respected worldwide. There is no official ranking of the “No.1 tea garden in Assam,” but the region surrounding Pengeri and Dehing Patkai is well known within the tea industry for producing teas with notable strength, clarity and aroma.

Shangrila Tea Estate belongs to this distinguished tea belt. Its combination of location, climate and traditional craft allows us to produce premium, single-origin Assam teas, including our celebrated second flush black tea, delicate green tea and naturally vibrant blue and hibiscus infusions.

 

Why Provenance Matters

Provenance is at the heart of what makes Dehing Tea distinctive. The environment in which our tea is grown - the land, the river, the soil and the climate - plays a direct role in shaping its natural flavour and quality. When you know the origin of your tea, you understand the conditions that give its character.

Our provenance reflects three things:

• a family-run estate with long-standing roots in Pengeri,
• a growing environment shaped by river, forest and rainfall,
• and a region of Assam known for producing some of India’s most expressive teas.

This connection to provenance is what defines every batch we produce and what continues to guide how we grow, harvest and craft our tea today.