The Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) is emerging as a centre for showcasing high priced Assam Speciality teas.

While Darjeeling tea is known as the Champagne of teas, speciality teas from Assam is a lesser-known and rare commodity.

However, there are connoisseurs around the world and even within India who are willing to pay a hefty premium for Assam Golden Tips.

In sale no 31 at the GTAC, held this week, a line of Golden Tips from Maijan Tea Estate of The Assam Company Ltd was sold at a new record price of Rs 70501 per kg.

This tea was purchased by Mundhra Tea Company of Guwahati and will be shared between their client Steven Plaizier from Belgium, and Namhah Marketing, a Guwahati based online tea store.

Talking to Northeast Now, Ramesh Mundhra, the owner of Namhah who had bought the tea said his company has been engaging in online trading of up-market executive tea for the last four years.

He further said that the tea that he that has bought at a record price will be sold to a Jaipur based company named Maheswari Tea Company Pvt Ltd and owned by Gajanand Parwal.

Maijan teas were competed for by two other buyers.

Prakash Chajjer of Arihant Tea Company says he had an enquiry from an NRI based in California but his bid of Rs 70100 fell short of the winning bid.

The tea was sold by Parcon (India) Pvt Ltd, the second-largest tea auctioneer in North India, which sells close to 100 million kilograms annually.

Surajit Phukan, executive director of Parcon (India) Pvt Ltd said, “Maijan OR89 was produced during the second flush period this season.”

“This tippy tea has a nice floral nose and a mellow rounded cup which leaves a lingering after taste. It is truly a rare tea,” he added.

Vijay Singh Panwar of The Assam Company added, “Maijan Golden Tips is a specially Hand Plucked Second flush produce from select clonal plants.”

“Its rich aroma and strength are for the true connoisseur. Maijan Orthodox Teas represent the true character of premium upper Assam teas, with unique liquors and Golden Colour,” he added.

According to Panwar, the unique inherent character of Maijan orthodox teas come from stress induction in the root zone due to the plantations remaining submerged periodically under the backwaters of the mighty Brahmaputra flows in close proximity to the tea estate.

Two speciality teas vied for centre stage at the GTAC this week. Earlier a two kg lot of Manohari Gold SPCL set a new record price of Rs 50000 per kg and was purchased by Sourabh Tea Traders (P) Ltd for his buyer from Maharashtra.