Sometimes it's best left to others...

“Dear Nayan and Geert,

I was lucky to visit Shillong again for the umpteenth time and once again got the opportunity to visit Lakyrsiew and have cups of your delicious and exquisite tea, and also be one of the first to have a look at your 2013 Spring First flush white and green teas produced this week.

In my capacity as a Tea Taster with over 40 years of experience at this career, with J. Thomas, the largest and oldest Tea Auction and Broking Company in the World, I have yet to come across the range of teas produced by you, with such devotion, love and dedication to every detail by yourselves, the owners and proprietors of this exquisite and unique Estate. It is the attention you both have given directly to the planting, cultivation, harvesting and manufacture which has resulted in this. I have been privileged to have seen Lakyrsiew grow from a long off idea to a fully fledged estate and have been lucky to see your ‘baby’ grow into a young lady. Having been fortunate to have tasted your teas periodically over these years it is with pride that there has been some association between the Estate and J. Thomas, as well as with me personally and our outstanding Darjeeling team , which boasts of the finest Darjeeling tasters ever to be in this Industry, Tony Liddle, Govind Jauhar, Peter Naharwar, Ranabir Sen, Krishan Katyal and Kavi Seth to mention some that come to mind immediately. As you may be aware I hand over the mantle to Krishan next month, as I retire at the end of March.

Not only have you captured the very essence of the pure and magic of Shillong, the Scotland of the East, with its unique weather pattern so important to Tea, the fresh air, the chill and the mists, as well as her beauty, but also captured to a very high degree the various fine distinctions in the tea plant to bring out the full character of the district, all the uniqueness of each flush, each season - the mellowness, the aroma, the delicate nose, the muscatel flavour, the highly prized qualities of the first flush, the second flush, the rain flush, the autumn flush, the winter flush, frost tea, sun kissed teas and more, to give us the joy of sipping a delectable tea for each and every occasion, pairing beautifully with every type of cuisine imaginable.

And doing so much for the environment and the pluckers and labour involved, it is a joy to have each sip transport oneself to Shillong and taste the nectar of the Gods. And with the natural flavour being so carefully imbibed into each tea leaf, one can easily place your produce as one of the finest in the land.

I sincerely look forward to visiting again and again and I can see Lakyrsiew become an ever growing love affair between you and your teas, which will be in demand in every niche market corner of the World

With the very best of wishes,

Ashok”