Darjeeling Jungpana Spring Chinary Black

Nestled in the rugged hills of Darjeeling, Jungpana Tea Estate carries a legacy shaped as much by legend as by craft. Its name is said to trace back to the early 20th century, when a British hunter and his loyal Gorkha companion, Jung Bahadur, survived a deadly encounter with a leopard in the Himalayan foothills. Though gravely injured, Jung Bahadur defended his master with remarkable courage. In his final moments, he drank from a nearby stream, giving rise to the name “Jungpana,” remembered as the place where loyalty endured against all odds. Established in 1899 by Henry Montgomery Lennox, the estate has long been counted among Darjeeling’s most distinguished gardens. Following the Second World War, it came under the management of G. W. O’Brien and was later acquired by the Rana family of Nepal. Perched at elevations around 4,000 to 4,500 feet in the Kurseong Valley, its south-facing slopes receive generous Himalayan sunlight, nurturing china bushes that produce teas of remarkable clarity and finesse. Its relative inaccessibility, historically reached via a narrow bridge and steep ascent, only adds to its mystique. Today, Jungpana remains a symbol of continuity amid change. Now under the stewardship of the Mayfair Group, the estate continues to uphold its reputation for producing some of Darjeeling’s most sought-after teas, including its celebrated muscatel lots. Surrounded by noted gardens such as Goomtee, Sivitar, and Mahalderm, Jungpana stands as a testament to enduring heritage, meticulous craftsmanship, and the timeless character of Darjeeling tea.