Assam tea is a black tea harvested in northeastern India. It has a bold, malty flavor and is commonly used in English and Irish breakfast teas. The quality of the tea can vary based on where it was grown, how it was processed, and when it was harvested. There is no standardized grading system for Assam tea.
Assam tea is a type of tea that is harvested in a region of northeastern India that has the same name – Assam. There aren’t too many different types per se, but assam tea leaves are often used in English breakfast teas, Irish breakfast teas, and other Indian black tea varieties. The types of tea from assam can also be distinguished based on whether the tea leaves are harvested – in spring, summer or winter. English and Irish breakfast teas are the most commonly marketed types of Assam tea, but many other varieties can also be found. Breakfast teas are often made mostly, if not completely, of Assam tea.
When choosing tea that contains Assam leaves, one should consider where it was grown, how it was processed, its grade of quality, and whether it is blended with another tea. The leaves and buds of this shrub are used to produce a black tea that has a robust, malty, full-bodied flavour.
The closer to sea level Assam tea is grown, the bolder and maltier it will be. Despite the fact that these teas are largely grown in floodplains, they are also commonly grown at higher elevations in semi-tropical forest. If you choose tea grown at higher altitudes, it will have less of the distinctly malty taste and won’t be as strong as those produced in the basin.
Teas are also sold based on the intactness of the leaf after processing. Whole leaf Assam tea is considered to be of higher quality than broken, barren leaves or tea powder. Tea powder, due to its fine granularity, can degrade more quickly and is often used for tea bags. The more intact the leaf, the longer its shelf life and the richer its flavor. Although most teas can be dried early in the production cycle, which in part creates green tea, most Assam tea can oxidize completely, thus becoming black tea.
When choosing a type of tea, one should consider when the leaves were harvested. The spring harvest, or first flush, produces a tea with a bold, fresh spring taste. The summer harvest, or second scale, also includes tea that is harvested during the monsoon harvesting period. There is a high degree of humidity during the monsoon season, so tea from the summer harvest is typically stronger and more robust in flavour. Winter harvest teas are generally considered to be the poorest of the three crops.
There is no standardized tea grading system. A person looking to purchase the tea might come across acronyms such as SFTGFOP, which means “special orange flowery pekoe with a totally golden tip.” Gold tipped teas are considered to be of higher quality and are mainly brewed during the second flush. Companies could use this type of classification criteria, modify it or develop their own classification method.
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