India is one of the world’s largest producers of the finest tea. Tea is grown in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, West Bengal and Tripura in the north-eastern region; Himachal Pradesh in the north region and Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the south region of India. The three superior tea flavours come from Assam, Darjeeling and Nilgiris. Drinking tea is a common scene in India; however, many of us know nothing much about the finesse of these teas.
ASSAM TEA
The fertile lands across the river Brahmaputra, the terrain and the tropical monsoon climate of Assam deliver excellent conditions for tea plantations. Assam tea is grown near sea level and is known for its liveliness, malt flavour, strong aroma, and bright colour. The black tea of Assam is grown on over 300 hectares of plantation, producing 500 tonnes in a year and is the prime ingredient of most tea blends worldwide.
DARJEELING TEA
In the foothills of the Himalayas, growing at the highest elevation creates conditions that deliver an exceptional aroma, unmatched muscatel flavour and spiciness, making Darjeeling tea very special, and a sip of it will be unforgettable. Darjeeling tea leaves are processed in a conventional way, hand-cultivated and produced with great care and proficiency; it is often called “Champagne of Teas”. Since the total production is approximately over 10 thousand tonnes in a year, and that’s impossible to meet the market demand, for this reason, Darjeeling tea is expensive.
NILGIRIS TEA
The tea harvested in the blue mountains of western ghats offers a naturally sweet and floral flavour with a mild aroma. The Nilgiris tea is cultivated between 1000 to 2500 metres above sea level and exposed to moisture-laden monsoon rains. Popular brands around the world prefer Nilgiri tea for their blends. Blue mountain tea has unique values that can never be neglected in the world of tea.
These three tea flavours of India have their own story, distinctive taste and aroma; being a fellow Indian, one should experience these flavours at least once in life by listening to their story.
