Est. 1924 · Darjeeling
Three generations.
One leaf.
Roy's Tea began with a single hillside in Kurseong, and a young man's refusal to ship his best leaves anywhere but home.
For most of the twentieth century, India grew the world's tea but rarely drank it. The finest leaves left for London auction houses by the trunkload, while the country was left with dust and fannings — the broken remains of its own harvest.
In 1924, our grandfather planted the first estate. In 1948, he decided this was no longer acceptable. He kept his best lots for a small circle of friends, and a slow rebellion began at the kitchen table.
Three generations later, we still do it the same way. We work with a handful of estates, taste every lot ourselves, and refuse to scale beyond what the leaf will allow.
Our History
The First Hillside
Our grandfather secures a small plot in Kurseong and plants the first estate with Castleton seedlings.
A Quiet Rebellion
He begins keeping the finest lots for a circle of friends instead of shipping them to London auctions. A slow revolution starts at a kitchen table.
The Second Generation
Our father expands to Assam and Nilgiri, refusing to compromise the small-batch ethos his father began.
Going Direct
We stop supplying wholesalers entirely. Every tea now goes directly from garden to cup — no intermediaries, no compromises.
A Century of Craft
One hundred years since the first leaf was plucked on that Kurseong hillside. The ritual continues.
01
Provenance
Every tea names its estate, its altitude, its picker, and its pluck date. Always.
02
Patience
Nothing is rushed. Nothing is hurried into a box to meet a quarter. The leaf dictates the timeline.
03
Restraint
If a tea isn't good enough for us to drink, it isn't good enough to sell. Full stop.
Behind Every Cup
Ananya Roy
Head of Sourcing
Sixteen years tasting alongside estate managers across four regions.
Vikram Roy
Creative Director
Trained in luxury brand design in Milan; came home to build something rare.
Priya Dasa
Head of Brewing Science
Former chemist. Obsessed with water quality, temperature, and the alchemy between.