Black Tea / Indian Origin
Photo: Mohit Gupta / Pexels
Assam is a bold, malty black tea grown in the Assam region of northeastern India, in the low-lying, humid Brahmaputra river valley. It’s one of the few tea-growing regions in the world where tea plants grow as large trees in the wild rather than the small pruned shrubs seen elsewhere, since Assam is home to its own native varietal of Camellia sinensis.
That native large-leaf varietal, Camellia sinensis var. assamica, is genetically distinct from the smaller-leafed Chinese varietal used for most Darjeeling and Chinese teas, and it’s part of why Assam tea tastes so different: thicker, deeper, and more tannic, with a characteristic malty note that Chinese-varietal teas rarely have. The region’s hot, humid, monsoon-heavy climate also speeds the plant’s growth, producing a tea with more robust flavor than teas grown at higher, cooler elevations.
Assam is harvested primarily in two flushes: a lighter first flush in spring, and a fuller, more prized second flush in summer that produces the malty, full-bodied character Assam is best known for. Because of its strength, Assam is the backbone of many classic English and Irish breakfast blends, chosen specifically for its ability to stand up to milk.
How to Steep It
Assam holds up well to a full boil, around 200–212°F, and a steep of 3 to 5 minutes, longer if you want a stronger cup for milk. Its natural boldness and tannic structure are what make it such a popular breakfast tea base.
