india, a land of tea
In India tea is grown mainly in two areas: the north-east, with Assam, Darjeeling and the neighbouring regions
at the foot of the Himalayas, and the south, with the hills of the Nilgiris and Kerala. Much of the harvest
stays in the country: Indians are among the world's biggest tea drinkers, almost always in the form of
chai, with milk, sugar and spices.
Two varieties of the same plant, Camellia sinensis, grow on Indian estates. The large-leaved assamica
variety is native to Assam itself: Europeans discovered it in 1823, and large-scale cultivation began a few
years later under British rule. The small-leaved sinensis variety came from China and found a home on
the hills of Darjeeling, where the cool mountain climate makes it grow slowly and concentrate its aromas.
darjeeling, the champagne of teas
Darjeeling comes from West Bengal, at the foot of the Himalayas, from tea gardens that climb as high as 2,000
metres. It is one of the finest teas in the world, so much so that it is called “the Champagne of
teas”, and like Champagne its name is protected: only tea grown in this area may be called Darjeeling.
Its character changes with the harvest season, the flush:
- first flush (March-April): the first harvest after winter, light and floral, with a pale, almost greenish liquor;
- second flush (May-June): fuller and rounder, with the famous muscatel notes;
- monsoon flush (July-September): picked during the rains, more robust, used mostly in blends;
- autumnal flush (October-November): mellow and mature, with woody notes.
Our Darjeeling is an
FTGFOP1, one of the highest grades for whole leaves (find out what these letters mean in our guide to
tea leaf grading): a golden-bronze, well-balanced cup
with muscatel notes.
assam, the strong one
Assam is India's largest tea region and produces about half of the country's tea. Its estates spread across
the plain of the Brahmaputra river, in a hot, humid climate with heavy rains. The result is a strong, malty
black tea with a dark liquor that takes milk very well: it is the base of breakfast blends and of chai.
Most Assam is made with the CTC method (crush, tear, curl), invented in the 1930s, which turns
the leaves into small, even granules: the brew is quick and intense, ideal for tea bags and simmered chai.
The best gardens also make orthodox whole-leaf Assams, richer and more nuanced.
nilgiri, the blue mountains
In the south of India, in the state of Tamil Nadu, the Nilgiri hills (the “Blue Mountains”) enjoy a
mild climate that allows tea to be picked all year round. Nilgiri tea is fragrant, lively and less astringent
than Assam, and it has a rare quality: it stays clear as it cools, which is why it is so popular for iced tea.
indian tea or ceylon tea?
Ceylon tea is often thought to be Indian, but Ceylon is the old name of Sri Lanka, the island to the south of
India: a different country with a tea history all its own. Ceylon teas are generally bright, fresh and citrusy,
halfway between the delicacy of Darjeeling and the strength of Assam. Our
Italian Breakfast and
Earl Grey Special, for example, are made with Ceylon tea.
how to brew indian tea
Darjeeling: water at 90-95 °C (just off the boil), 3 minutes for one infuser or 2-3 g of leaves in
200 ml. Drink it plain, without milk, so as not to mask its fragrance; first flush prefers slightly cooler water.
Assam and breakfast blends: boiling water, 4-5 minutes. These teas happily take milk and sugar.
Chai: in India tea is simmered directly with milk and spices. You will find the full recipe in our
chai guide.