India is one of the most famous tea producing areas, especially regarding the first quality black teas. According to some theories it is even considered to be the homeland of the tea plant, because anthropological and archeological surveys proved, that the original inhabitants of India ate tea leaves as a vegetable. The most important tea producing regions of  the Indian subcontinent are Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiri, Sikkim, Nepal, Terai, Dooars and Bangladesh

Darjeeling

is a famous mountain to alpine area in the north of India with about one hundred tea gardens, located mostly in one of these seven largest tea regions – East Valley of Darjeeling, West Valley of Darjeeling, Kurseong North Valley, Kurseon South Valley, Mirik, Rungbong and Teesta. The altitudes of individual gardens vary between 400 and 2.500 m, while the most valuable teas here are the alpine (high-mountain teas). Climatic and soil conditions of this region are really favorable for the production of high-quality teas, owing to the rough high-mountain climate the leaves grow long enough, which guarantees the optimal ratio of chemical substances, important for the tea taste and aroma, but also for its health benefits. It is harvested exclusively manually, usually only four times a year. Thanks to the different climatic conditions under which the individual harvests grew, tea from every harvest has got its unique and incommutable character.

The first harvest (first flush), in literature more often mentioned as Easter Flush, comes in March and April, when after the long period of vegetation repose the first, very delicate and fragile leaves germinate. This harvest produces very prized, high-quality teas, often with the high ratio of green leaves and tips, providing a fresh and bright infusion of a very lively taste character.

The second flush, in literature most often represented as Spring Flush, takes place from May to June and provides also very prized, high-quality teas, differing from the First Flush by a usually higher rate of darker little leaves, a deeper colour of the infusion, but mainly by its taste character, which is rather more settled, with typical delicate fruity tones and by the taste, making this harvest really fabulous in the world of tea, so called muscatel. 

In the monsoon period and immediately after its end, which is from the end of June until August, there is the third harvest taking place. Its name in literature is not really unified, there are two basic names occurring – Monsoon or Summer Flush. Teas from this harvest reach the highest quality rather rarely, compared to the previous harvests, they are usually used in Darjeeling blends.

In between September and October there is the last harvest of the year, denoted as autumnal, producing rather standard teas, meant mostly for the preparation of tea blends.

The bulk of the Darjeeling gardens production is made up of black teas, which cannot be identified with black teas of Assam or Ceylon type, because of their specific way of tea leaves processing. Production of green teas also became a usual practice of most of the gardens, the teas are processed by a Japanese method (of steaming). Darjeeling half-green teas (most often of Taiwan type) are found here rather rarely, some gardens have been recently experimenting with the production of high-quality white teas. 

 

Assam

Assam is a vast lowland area, spreading out on 190.000 hectares on both Brahmaputra´s banks, about 200 km south-east from the Darjeeling borders, near the border with China. It is the world´s largest tea region, producing an average of 266.000 tons of tea a year, while the tea industry of this area employs a full 15% of the local population. The most of more than 700 of Assam´s tea gardens are located in the Brahmaputra Valley or the Surma Valley, the others are spread out amongst smaller tea regions of Lakhimpur, Sibsagar, Darrang, Nowgong and the Cachar District. The soil and climatic conditions for tea plant cultivation are really favourable, mainly during the monsoon rain period, when the leaves grow very fast and in short intervals 75% of the yearly production is harvested. They are harvested manually in four harvest seasons. The first harvest takes place after the end of the growing season from the end of March until the beginning of June. The first harvest produces high-quality teas of a very specific taste character, totally different from the second harvest teas. The second harvest takes place from the end of June until the first half of August. Teas produced during this harvest are most prized for both their quality and their taste character and aroma, typical for Assam teas. The third harvest takes place in the monsoon season, it is from August to September, and it is a multiple harvest. Thanks to the favourable temperatures and high humidity the leaves grow very fast in this period and the amount of the harvested tea is really high, however, its quality is not really good, because of the low ratio of chemical components important for taste and aroma. That is why teas from this harvest are used mainly in blends or they are processed in CTC method and used in teabags. The last harvest of the year takes place in Autumn, most often from the end of September until the first half of November, when in relatively dry and cold weather the leaves grow slowly, so the teas from this harvest resemble the second harvest´s taste as well as quality. The bulk of Assam tea gardens production are black teas, green teas are also quite common.

 

Nilgiri

It is a mountain region in the Tamil Nandu State in southeastern India, bordered by the Noyar river on one side and the Palni Mountains on the other side. The name Nilgiri itself comes from the Tamil language and means Blue Mountains. With its yearly production of about 100.000 tons of tea (25% of Indian production) it ranks in second place among Indian tea producers. Climatic conditions are really favourable, rainfalls occur quite evenly during the year, local soils are also very convenient for tea plant cultivation. Tea gardens are situated at altitudes from 30 to 2.300 m (mostly from 1.700 to 2.300 m), while high-mountain teas are considered truly superior. Teas from lower altitudes are processed by Ceylon method or CTC method and are usually used in blends. Thanks to almost ideal climatic conditions and evenly spread rainfalls they are harvested virtually all year round (except during the dormancy period), mainly in high-mountain altitudes in long enough time intervals, enabling production of high-quality teas. The gardens produce almost exclusively black tea, while some high-mountain teas are processed like Darjeeling high-mountain teas. Other teas occur only very rarely here.

Nepal

is a highly valued high-mountain region along the north-eastern border of Darjeeling with 58 tea gardens, located at altitudes over 1.000 m, producing roughly 500 tons of tea a year. Geographical as well as climatic and soil conditions are very similar to the neighbouring Darjeeling region, they are really convenient for the first grade high-mountain teas production. Harvests come four times a year, just like in Darjeeling. The first harvest (first flush) takes place in April and May, when after the dormancy period the first buds sprout. This harvest produces truly valued high-quality teas, often with high ratios of green little leaves and tips. The second harvest (second flush) takes place from June till July and provides first grade teas, usually differing from the spring harvest by a higher ratio of darker leaves, deeper colour of the infusion, but mainly by its taste character, which is slightly more settled with typical delicate fruity tones, resembling the second harvests from Darjeeling.

The third harvest takes place from the end of July till August. Teas from this harvest reach the first qualities comparable with the two previous harvests only rarely, they are usually used for Nepal blends. In the break of September and October comes the last harvest of the year, represented as Autumnal, producing rather standard darker teas, meant mainly for blends preparation. Mainly high-mountain black tea proceeded by the Darjeeling method is produced, but green and jasmine teas are also found. 

Dooars

is a little lowland tea region located in the western direction from Assam and on the South from Darjeeling. Local climatic conditions are practically identical with the Assam region, even rain season comes at the same time in both areas, and also harvests are almost identical, meaning there are harvests four times a year from March till November. However, the biggest portion of production comes from the third harvest taking place during the monsoon season. The production is made almost exclusively of black tea that is usually processed by the orthodox or CTC methods and used in blends. Better grades of black tea produced in this region provide an infusion of a similar volume and character as good Assam teas, but they differ in their specific and totally typical aroma.

Terai

Is a little Indian tea region, located in the Himalayan foothills, North of Dooars and South of Darjeeling. Climatic conditions are similar to Assam, but rainfalls are spread more evenly and the climate is more humid. The harvest takes place from March to November, the biggest production comes from the monsoon period. Tea from the first harvest is considered the best quality tea. It provides a light infusion of a totally typical, spicy taste and distinctive aroma. The region produces almost exclusively black tea.

Sikkim

is a small, once independent principality, now belonging to India, located in a high-mountain position near the Darjeeling border. Geographic and climatic conditions are practically identical with the Darjeeling region and the yearly harvests are the same as well. Today there is only one productive tea garden here named Temi, famous for its high-quality alpine, exclusively black tea of Darjeeling type.

Bangladesh

is located near the Eastern Indian border and with its yearly production of about 55.000 tons of mainly black tea it ranks amongst the small to middle-order producers. Climatic conditions for tea cultivation are quite favourable here. Harvests take place from April till November, but the best teas, reaching the leave grades, come from harvest taking place during the transition time between May and June. The majority of the production is processed by the CTC method for “dust” grades.