A Brief Guide to Black Tea Origins

• Assam - The Assam region, on the southern slopes of the Himalayas of North India is home to 2000 tea gardens, making it one of the largest tea-producing regions in the world. A greenhouse-like climate in lower areas produces rich, full-bodied, malty teas which are the basis for many breakfast blends. Higher growing elevations have interesting fruity notes along with the malty character.
• China - China is the original home of tea & today has thousands of tea farms large and small, mostly concentrated in the South Eastern Provinces.  This contrasts sharply with India, Sri Lanka, Africa and other places organized by the British into large Tea Estates most of which are over 1000 acres.  In China, hundreds of hybrid or "cultivar" plants have been developed regionally over centuries, with each Province or Region being famous for certain teas.  Tea is grown in lowlands and high mountain settings with an incredible range of  leaf styles, tastes, and methods of production.  Some of the major tea provinces and regional areas include: Yunnan, Hunan, Fujiian, Anhui, Guangxi, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hubei, Vhejiang, Jiangsu, Henan, Shaanxi, Hainan.
• Darjeeling - Under snow-covered Himalayan peaks 120 miles to the west and a little north of Assam lies spectacular Darjeeling. Here the climate is cooler and misty with unique soil conditions. Called the “champagne” of teas, the Darjeelings are lighter in body with wonderful muscatel flavors and flowery aromas. Darjeelings are picked three times a year, each picking of new growth or “flush” having its unique flavors.
• Sikkim - Immediately west of Darjeeling, in the Himalayan Mountains, is Sikkim. With similar growing conditions for tea, and similar tastes to the Darjeelings, we feel that the few Sikkim teas available are very good values.
• Nilgiri - In the south of India lies the Nilgiris or Blue Mountains, where elephants still roam in the rolling grasslands and dense jungles of the lower plains. Tea thrives in the higher foothills and peaks, interspersed with shade trees and spice gardens. Nilgiri tea is brisk and bold with a medium body. Much of it stays in India for local consumption or blending, but a few excellent grades are now being exported.
• Ceylon - Sri Lanka, just off the southern coast of India is synonymous in the western world with tea. Sir Thomas Lipton and others made their fortune here promoting the concepts of “orange pekoe” and “brisk tea.” Teas produced in different regions of Sri Lanka have unique characteristics—from the low grown bold Dimbulas to the higher grown lighter Nuwara Eliya teas. Ceylon teas are making a comeback as premium handmade teas, with many organic tea gardens.

What Makes Black Tea Black?

After picking, tea leaves are processed in different ways to produce the various types of tea: Black, Oolong, Green and White. Black teas are the most fully processed.

Following a short drying period in the shade, the leaves are rolled to release their natural juices. The rolled or "curled" leaves are then exposed to air for very specific amounts of time in order to allow for interaction between the air and the leaf juices (oxidation) to produce varying taste and color characteristics. Finally, a fast drying process is used to stop oxidation and dry the leaf for grading. With Black tea, more of the juices are allowed to interact with air, producing unique tastes, and the final drying temperature is higher, turning the tea black.