For millions who find it difficult to operate without a bold cup of caffeine, something that feels like a thunderbolt that zaps you out of bed and ready to take on the day, Assam Teas is a popular choice! Bold, malty, and deep-amber colored Tea are attributes that describe these ethereal black teas the best. From being used in quintessential English and Irish Breakfast teas to being a malty base for Chai Teas, Assam Teas have gained a loyal fan base around the world.
Assam Teas : What is So Special ?
Assam is spread across both sides of the mighty Brahmaputra river. The loamy soil found here is flushed with rich nutrients from the river, brought to shore by the annual floods. Couple this with the hot and humid lowlands of the Assam and plenty of rainfall create a greenhouse-like ecosystem for the tea plants. A combination of all of these factors offers Assam Teas a full-bodied, robust, and a signature malty taste!
Another major point to be noted here is that these teas come from Camelia Sinensis Assamica variety, which is very different from its Chinese variant, The Assamica Variety of tea bushes is a native variety that has been around in India since centuries and is a hardy variety that can withstand high temperatures, heavy rainfall, and high humidity. This is a reason why these teas yield more intense and pronounced flavors.
The unique ‘malty’ taste, couple with robust tannic flavors makes Assam Teas a perfect choice for a breakfast cuppa that can be had with milk or without it as well.
Types of Assam Teas
There are three harvesting seasons for Assam Teas. First flush or Spring teas are harvested from March to late-May or June. The second flush or summer teas are harvested from June to October. Finally, the third or the Winter Flush Teas are harvested from October to December.
There are essentially two types of Assam teas, depending on how they are processed.
An orthodox or traditional type of loose-leaf tea which goes through the traditional processing of tea. The other unorthodox type is called the CTC Tea. The CTC Assam tea is when the loose tea leaves are passed through a CTC (Cut, Tear, Curl) processing machine.
Now that you have been introduced briefly to the world of Assam Teas, let’s take a look at the Top 5 Assam Teas that you can try out!
TOP 5 INDIAN ORIGIN ASSAM TEAS
1. Halmari Gold CTC (English Breakfast) from Halmari Tea Estate, Assam
Courtesy of the award-winning Tea estate from Assam, the Halmari Tea estate, this Gold CTC English Breakfast tea won the Silver medal at the prestigious Global Tea Championships 2019.
This makes a bright Amber cup with a heady, invigorating aroma. It is a broken pekoe grade tea with a rich mouthfeel, a creamy malty taste, and a smooth finish. It is recommended to brew this tea with milk, sugar, and some spices like cinnamon, a pinch of black pepper, and cardamom.
Benefits
– Increases alertness
– Reduces Bad cholesterol (LDL)
-Reduces fatigue
– Healthier choice of caffeine ( as compared to coffee)
- Vahdam’s Summer Harvest Assam Enigma Second Flush Black Tea
One of the best Indian origin tea brands, Vahdam has won more than 25+ global awards for its range of delectable teas. The brand was also got inducted into Oprah Winfrey’s list of ‘Favorite Things’ for two consecutive years in 2018 & 2019.
Vahdam’s Summer Harvest Assam Enigma Second Flush Black Tea is a 100% pure Assam Black tea with prized golden tips. The cup has a bright amber color and has an aroma of wood spice, dried raisins, and burnt caramel.
The cup has a beautiful malty taste with woody notes and the fresh aroma of ripe fruit. Picked from the most renowned tea estates in Assam and blended at Vahdam’s BRC-Certified tea facility in India. Full-bodied, brisk, and simply ethereal.
We recommend having this tea without milk.
Benefits
– Reduces the risk of certain Cancers
– Beneficial for heart’s health in women
– Improves gut health
– Reduces fatigue, gives energy
– Reduces wrinkles
- Mangalam Gold Summer Black Tea by TEABOX
TEABOX one of the leading Tea brands in India with a variety of single-estate and unblended teas offers this truly delectable orthodox second-flush Assam Tea from the Mangalam Tea Estate in Assam.
The loose leaf tea is tightly-rolled blackish leaves with golden tips. It offers a dark amber-colored, full-bodied brisk cup with a robust malty taste with notes of dates and dried raisins, There are hints of sweet fruit and cocoa in the background which make it an utterly delicious cup of tea.
We recommend this tea without milk, but you can always take this with a bit of sugar and a dash of milk.
Benefits
– Reduces stress
– Lowers bad cholesterol (LDL)
– Improves liver health
– Improves alertness
- Assam Nahorhabi Super Special Golden Tips by Jayshree Tea
Courtesy of Jayshree Tea, a Birla company, has this gem of a Tippy Golden tea that is skillfully plucked and processed. Sourced from the scenic Nahorhabi Tea estate in Assam, this is a connoisseur-quality orthodox tea and will cost you a tad more!
The wet infusion is a coppery bright one that results in a bright brisk-flavored cup with the signature maltiness redolent of dates or honey,
We recommend that you have this regal tea without milk to truly relish all the flavors.
Benefits
-Reduces Stress
-Reduces the risk of cardiac diseases
-Boosts Metabolism
-Aids a healthy immune system
- Vahdam’s Assam Souchong Black Tea
One of the most exotic Assam Teas out there in the market, this is Smoky Souchong Assam Black Tea by Vahdam. This is an exclusive blend, specially harvested for the award-winning home-grown tea brand, Vahdam.
The loosely-rolled long tea leaves, interspersed with buds, are cultivated from chinary bushes at high elevations. The harvested leaves are cured in an enticing Oakwood smoke, the reason why its a ‘smoky’ souchong tea.
The amber-colored cup that opens in fiery oakwood notes in the attack and the soothing notes of a forest in the background. With a pleasant and heady aroma of oakwood and frost flowers, this is a captivating cup of tea.
We recommend having this tea without milk. No dilutions here.
Benefits
– Reduces the risk of certain cancers
– Improves gut health
– Reduces age-related wrinkles
– Beneficial for heart’s health
– Reduces stress and alleviates anxiety
We sincerely hope you like these recommendations for the Best Assam Black Teas that you can get your hands on today! With a plethora of health benefits, it is always a great idea to switch over to a bold cup of Tea than to reach out for a cup of espresso. Tea for the win! ALWAYS.
