Currently the Business Head for India – TWG Tea, the Global Luxury Tea Brand from Singapore. Prior to this Prarrthona Pal Chowdhury was the Country Manager, Indian Sub-continent for the French Luxury Liquor major Rémy Cointreau. I operate essentially in the Luxury Beverage space.
I was inducted into the spirits trade by Pernod Ricard and learnt my wines from Sula Vineyards and my journey with beverages continue with tea! I am a certified Whisky Ambassador from Glasgow, Scotland, WSET Level 2 in Spirits – Level 3 in Wines, London and a Cochran Fellow on Wine, Spirits and Beer from United States Department of Agriculture, also certified Tea Seller from TWG Tea Training Academy, trained in luxury from ESSEC Paris and an alumnus of IIM Calcutta – Advance Management Program in Marketing. Graduated in Philosophy from the prestigious Presidency College Calcutta and also a Post Graduate in Digital Marketing and Communication from MICA, Ahmedabad.
Who would you like to make fall in love with tea?
Why not the Gen Y, the millennials and Gen Z? Tea is not a grandfather’s drink…it’s trendy and chic!
What is your opinion on coffee and coffee-drinkers?
Try Tea…it helps you lose weight and is an immunity booster (that’s all what matters today.)
What’s the most unusual style of tea Prarrthona Pal Chowdhury have ever tasted?
Matured Tea, Pu Erh
Name one thing tea isn’t good for?
It makes you fall in love with it. And that isn’t good.
One serious tea no-no? And one tea no-no that you allow yourself to indulge in now and then?
Milk is a strict no-no. Love sugar in my tea, although that too is a no-no.
If you were to experiment with tea and any alcohol what would it be?
Why if? I do that regularly! I spike my cold goblet of Silver Moon from TWG Tea with vodka and top up some blended rooibos (Vanilla Bourbon) with sparkling.
How does one become a tea taster?
If you are a wine sommelier or aspiring to be one, your taste palate is mature enough and so you are ready to be a tea sommelier. If you wish to learn about teas, we can teach you. But a ‘Tea taster’ is an entirely different job profile – they select the teas to import for us or decide on the prices of teas depending on their quality. This is a very crucial job like that of a cellar master in Cognac, I say this so that you can easily gauge the difference. Knowledge here comes with time, dedication and passion, it is not a subject that can simply be taught By – Prarrthona Pal Chowdhury.