The Coffee
Estate : Orchadale Estate, MSP Coffee
Roaster : HillTiller Coffee
Varietal : Arabica
Process : Naturals – Unknown 30 days
The EsTate : MSP COffee
Our story began in the 1920’s when the illustrious MSP family migrated to the Shevaroys from a small, dry, southern town in Tamil Nadu, India. It was then that our forefather, MSP Senthikumar Nadar, started trading in coffee, cardamom and other spices like many others at that time. These products were bought from Kerala and other hill areas, dried and sold to various companies such as Pierce Leslie, Shaw Wallace & Co, Parry & Co, T Stanes & Co. Subsequently his son, MSP Nadar, expanded the business from Tamil Nadu to include Karnataka and Kerala as well. Their honesty, hard work and commitment to keep their word despite market fluctuations earned them the respect and appreciation of their community and business partners alike. In the course of their travels, they purchased valuable plantations from the European community who owned most of the plantations at the time.
By 1960, Mr. MSP Rajes, the elder son of MSP Nadar, successfully expanded the plantations to cover over 3000 acres in Tamilnadu, Kerala and Karnataka and established a very successful coffee curing unit called MSP Nadar Works in Salem. He also established an export company called Hill Tiller & Co which went on to become India’s largest coffee exporter for over three decades.
Today the fourth and fifth generation of the MSP family run the plantations under the astute management of Mr. Mohan Rajes, son of MSP Rajes; Navin Rajes, Ashom Rajes and Kamalesh Pandianathan (1)
Estate : Orchadale
Orchardale Estate is the baby among all our estates being the newest addition to our group of properties. It is one of the highest coffee plantations in the Shevaroys with fields ranging between 4700 and 5000 feet above mean sea level. The bauxite soil is rich and deep producing excellent coffee and oranges with huge potential for producing our best coffee yet. Most of the planting area is west facing and newly planted with Chandragiri, S.5B and S.9 varieties of Arabica. Orchardale Estate is also home to the highest campsite in the Shevaroys with a capacity of accommodating in excess of 50 people with regular training camps for both children and adults. Oh and the sunsets here are truly a magical experience. Check out this video of one such sunset.(2)
The Roaster : Hill Tiller
What they have to say : For over a century, coffee has flowed through our veins, and our commitment to crafting the finest brew remains unparalleled. Our relentless pursuit of innovation drives us to explore new frontiers, as we constantly seek ways to elevate the coffee experience. From our sustainable farming practices that respect the environment to cutting-edge processing and roasting techniques, we merge the past and the present to create something truly exceptional. So dive in, and let your senses embark on a voyage that seamlessly blends the comforting familiarity of tradition with the exciting possibilities of innovation. 100 years and counting…