An Introduction to Indian Tea

While China is heralded as the birthplace of the healthy green tea, India has grown to be the largest producer and exporter of tea in the world. As with China, the inhabitants of India also enjoy their “Chai,” which is central to their daily life.

Darjeeling White Tea

There are three tea-growing regions in India. The Darjeeling and Assam regions are located in the northeast, and then Nilgiri is located in the south. Each tea region has different growing conditions, and as a result they yield very different flavored teas. About half of Indian tea is grown in the Assam region, which is at a much lower altitude than either Darjeeling or Nilgiri. Tea grown in this region has a malty flavor, and because it is full bodied, it is suitable to drink any time of the day.

The higher altitude and the colder climate make Darjeeling the perfect tea-growing environment, and some of the finest tea in the world comes from this region. Darjeeling tea is frequently referred to as the champagne of tea, and it is this tea leaf that the English prefer in their tea rooms.

While the Nilgiri region is also at a high altitude, it is located much further south than Darjeeling, so it enjoys a much longer growing season. Because of this the Nilgiri region produces four times as much tea per acre as the Darjeeling region. The black teas from the Nilgiri region are fruity and smooth and can stand up to milk or sugar.

While India is most famous for its black tea, it also produces white, green and organic tea. Black tea is, of course, still the most popular export, but recently green tea from the Darjeeling region is gaining in popularity as well.