Today I'm jumping back to southern India. While the Nilgiri teas are widely considered to be the best of the southern Indian teas, a lot of tea is produced in the western Ghats south of Nilgiri in both Tamil Nadu and Kerala. On occasion, these teas will be mistakenly grouped with or labeled as Nilgiri tea. Those available to the internet shopper include: the Singampatti Estate teas, especially their Oothu; those of POABS; various Munnar district teas; and today's selection. Compared to Nilgiri tea, these teas are generally heavier, softer, and sometimes more spicy, and with much less in the way of the citrus, floral, and herbaceous notes. Their texture and balance generally leans more toward Assam.
The look of the dry leaf of this Kuterai Vetti is what you'd expect of a FBOP, and, when wet, it shows a fairly full oxidation with a vibrant brown/red color. The liquor brews up a red-tinged brown and has a fullish aroma that has some resemblance to Nilgiri, but is deeper and darker, with notes of apple and dark spice, and with little in the way of citrus and herb. In the mouth, the tea is soft, full and quite flavorful. It's heavier and flatter than a Nilgiri, and closer to an Assam in texture and weight. While it can get a bit tannic with heavy brewing, it remains decidedly more fat than brisk. This tea has a sweet and spicy aftertaste that is surprisingly long.
While not particularly elegant or nuanced, it's a well made, solid, and tasty tea, with some dimension. For the price ($7.60 for 250 grams), it's an excellent value for those looking for a fuller-bodied Indian tea.
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