Assam tea is the most common drunk black tea in the world...but there's more!
The Assam region of India is the worlds largest tea outfit. Hundreds of thousands of tons of tea come out of this part of India each year, with Assam black tea as the most processed type. If you ever brewed Tetley tea (tea bags), then you had a variety of Assam.
The Assam region is located on either side of the Brahmaputra River in northeast India, and is the neighbor of Burma and Bangladesh. It is accompanied by super hot temperatures, along with heavy rain fall and humidity...the perfect mass-producing tea growing conditions!
Also unlike other teas, Assam black tea is grown at sea level instead of in high mountainous areas.
Assam tea is known for its rich malty taste, and ability to blend well with other varieties of black tea creating even more exotic brews.
The liquor is a brilliant red that gives a sweet aroma and very smooth taste. The leaves are almost black in color, with some varieties having "golden tips".
The tea plants in Assam have two flushes a year, the first flush producing the finer quality tea. The second flush depending on the tea estate, produces the "tippy" teas which have those golden tips present that I mentioned above.
These tips tend to make the brew of this tea a wee bit sweeter yet still allows the leaves to maintain their malty character. This Indian tea is loved by many tea drinkers since it offers the palate a perfect blend of sweet, smooth, and malty flavor.
As of late, the Assam tea industry faced an obstacle as local consumption increased. However, there will be a come back due to the higher American demand for tea. As more Americans become aware of the health benefits tea has to offer, they will start to seek a cup with higher quality.
Now although most of the black tea grown in Assam is commercial grade, there are some very high (and expensive) quality Assam teas.
If you just started your loose leaf tea journey, Assam black tea is a great place to start, and you will soon realize that those ordinary tea bags have become obsolete!
