India: producer of tea-part 2

In the last article we left off right at the best part and, as promised, I’m now back to continue this exploration of the primary tea production areas in India with you.

In Part 1 of this article we traveled back about two centuries to learn about the spread of Camellia Sinensis production and got to know Darjeeling, considered the Champagne of Indian tea. Are you curious to learn about other areas within this fascinating corner of the world which dominate the international tea landscape? 

ASSAM

The History and Flavor of the Teas from the Largest Tea Production Region in India
The name “Assam” derives from the Ahom tribe that invaded the valley of Brahmaputra in the 13th century, though it’s also plausible that it was the landscape, made up of vast lowlands, that inspired its name, because in the native language the word “Ha-com” means “low” or “flat and expansive land”. These vast alluvial plains, that stretch along both banks of the Brahmaputra River, and the hot and extremely humid climate, combined with heavy rainfall, have today made Assam the second largest tea producing region in the world after China. 

In Part 1 of this article we saw how, in the first half of the 19th century, the demonstration that tea could be grown on this land sparked an instant euphoria among British investors.

The East India Company entrusted its experimental gardens to private companies. The first of these, the Assam Company, was inaugurated on February 12, 1839. The directors immediately appointed Charles Bruce to oversee the northern division of the company’s tea plantations and hired Assamese and Chinese workers to clear the trees and build sheds and warehouses. 

It was during this historical moment that one of the greatest acts of industrial espionage took place. The investors immediately realized that more seeds were necessary if they wanted to develop production on a large scale. Thus, in 1847, Robert Fortune was hired by the Horticultural Society to travel to China and secretly obtain seeds and young plants of Camellia Sinensis. He dressed in Chinese clothes, learned Mandarin, gathered approximately 13,000 seeds, and recruited Chinese workers to teach the English how to produce tea in India.
As the importance of Assam tea grew, more and more land was allocated for cultivation. By 1862 there were already approximately 160 productive tea plantations in the region. In 1881 the Indian Tea Association was established and the first tea auction was held in Calcutta.

The teas cultivated in Assam may not be regarded as the Champagne of Indian teas like Darjeeling, but they’re certainly deserving of attention. 

In addition to being the quintessential “breakfast teas”, thanks to their full body and intense malty notes, Assam teas played a pivotal role in initiating improvements in production methods, leading to the development of new, high performance machinery that, to this day, makes it possible to produce large volumes of tea for both domestic and international markets. These include the rolling machine or the special CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) cutters, which revolutionized the teabag market.

In the 1930s, the introduction of heat-sealed paper tea bags in the United States, and their mass production, completely changed the way in which tea was produced, blended, packaged, and prepared. The idea behind the teabag was to offer people a convenient and fast alternative to loose tea, and the machine invented to produce the bags required finely broken leaves. Given that the demand for teabags continued to grow worldwide, the industry was no longer able to keep up. Thus the idea of developing and inserting special CTC rollers, capable of crushing freshly harvested leaves, into the production process was born. 

These days, most producers of Assam are able to make both orthodox teas (whole-leaf) and CTC and can switch between the two processing methods based on fluctuations in market demand.

Following the rise in demand for green tea, in India and worldwide, some companies began producing both orthodox and CTC versions of them, as well as of the elegant Silver Tips white teas. But these remain niche products as compared to oxidized black teas which, over the centuries, have become the quintessential strong breakfast teas.

What can we expect to find in the cup when we steep an Assam tea?

The whole-leaf versions, with a higher percentage of golden tips (the carefully selected golden buds), give us smooth and refined teas with delicate and sweet notes of honey and malt. 

Meanwhile, the CTC grades, both pure and blended (with teas from different gardens within the same region or from other regions in India, as well as with teas produced in other countries), are the classic, strong, dark breakfast teas. These are perfect as an alternative to coffee, as they’re quite energizing and feature notes of malt, honey, resinous wood, tobacco, and sweet spices. Due to their slight bitterness, it’s recommended that they be drunk with milk, sugar, or honey.

Among my favorite gardens, I recommend Mokalbari and Hattialli.

SIKKIM

A Well-Kept Secret in the Heart of the Himalayas
Sikkim is a tiny state hidden among the slopes of the Himalayas and north of Darjeeling. 

Its ice-covered peaks mark the border with Tibet, Bhutan, and Nepal, where Kangchenjunga, the third tallest mountain in the world, soars to a height of 8,586 meters.

This enchanting region stands out for its biodiversity, which ranges from alpine to subtropical climates.

Temi is the only large tea plantation in the area and is located in the southernmost part of the state. It was established in 1969 by the government in order to give work to approximately 600 families.

At nearly 2,000 meters above sea level, along gently sloping hills and in forested valleys framed by the imposing snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas, the original Darjeeling tea plants have been successfully transplanted.

Since 2008 the garden has been completely organic and, from the end of March all the way to October, it produces orthodox black teas that resemble the best Darjeelings.

The spring harvests, known as First Flush, have a highly fragrant and complex aromatic profile that ranges from floral notes to freshly cut grass and from citrus fruits to almonds, concluding with vanilla and mango. 

The Second Flush, or the summer harvests, are rounder, with warm notes of ripe grapes and rose. 

Meanwhile, the final harvests, the Autumn Flush, are sweet and completely free of astringency, with notes of wood, cane sugar, and jam.

Upon request, white teas and Oolong teas can also be produced. All of the harvests and varieties are a true delight for the most discerning palates.

MEGHALAYA

The Most Beautiful of the “Seven Sisters of India”

The northeastern states are known as the “seven sisters” due to their interdependence and geographic characteristics. They are Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripur. Tea is cultivated in all of these areas, with significant differences in the quality and yield of the harvest. We’ve already talked extensively about Assam and, of the remaining “sisters”, Meghalaya holds a special place in my heart, especially the Lakyrsiew garden.

This state, rich in hills, lakes, and waterfalls and inhabited by ancient tribes, known for their spectacular colorful clothing and for their dances, is nicknamed the “land of clouds”. Probably because its capital, Shillong, which boasts a mild climate, is only 58 km from Cherrapunji, known as the rainiest town in the world.

Autonomous and separate from Assam since 1972, Meghalaya is experiencing a recent, but interesting, development as a tea production area. 

Despite the fact that the India Company, at the start of 19th century, already indicated this subtropical region as being particularly suited to the cultivation of tea, production didn’t develop until 1974, when the Tea Board of India recognized its potential. After an extensive experimental phase, experts decided to plant the Assamica varieties in the lower, flatter plains bordering Assam, and to cultivate the Darjeeling varieties of sinensis on the higher hills, at altitudes ranging from 900 to 1,600 meters above sea level. 

Some producers in Meghalaya are gaining recognition for the quality of their teas. Among these, we find state-owned companies, small private estates, and plantations organized as cooperatives. This truly unique terroir possesses all the characteristics for success:

1. most of the teas are cultivated at an altitude of more than 1,000 meters above sea level;
2. the plantations are immersed in uncontaminated, virgin landscapes;
3. the small producers still use traditional methods of agriculture, harvest, and production;
4. the processing laboratories are located a short distance from the gardens, which is a significant advantage. Indeed, the main challenge that large plantations face is the long interval of time between the moment of harvest and the start of processing. This is because tea leaves begin to oxidize, which leads to a deterioration in the overall quality of the harvest.

But what flavors do Meghalaya teas have? 

Those of the finest Darjeeling teas, with the same intense floral notes (like roses) that characterize teas grown at higher altitudes, and, for those produced in the lower valleys, flavors of caramel, chocolate, and malt.

Conclusion

Other areas of production like Kangra, Dooars, Bihar, and Nilgiri, also deserve exploration, but I’ll postpone that for my next trip to India so that I can share my first-hand experience with you, full of new encounters and lots of tastings.