Indian Tea
India's tea legacy stretches from the lowland gardens of Assam, where elephants roam paths cut between glossy bushes, to the high mist-covered slopes of Darjeeling in the Himalayan foothills. Our Indian Teas celebrate this remarkable diversity from the rich, malty depth of single origin Assam Breakfast to the muscatel finesse of Darjeeling, and the warming, spiced aromatics of our Kolkata-inspired Chai. Available as loose leaf or whole leaf tea bags for everyday infusing.
Indian Tea Frequently Asked Questions
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What are the different types of Indian tea?
India's tea regions each produce a distinct style: Assam gives full-bodied, malty black tea grown in humid lowlands; Darjeeling produces lighter, more floral tea from high-altitude gardens, often called "the champagne of teas"; and Nilgiri in the south yields brisk, fragrant black tea. Explore the regions in full in our guide to Indian tea. -
What is first flush Darjeeling tea?
First flush refers to Darjeeling's earliest spring harvest, picked as the tea bushes wake after winter. The young, tender leaves give a lighter, more delicate cup with bright, floral notes, prized by connoisseurs above the fuller teas picked later in the season, our Darjeeling Empyrean is a fine example. -
What is first flush Assam tea?
Assam's first flush is picked in spring, before monsoon rains intensify growth, giving a brighter, more delicate cup than the classic, fuller-bodied Assam picked later in the season. It's a smaller, more prized harvest, though most Assam drunk as a morning cup comes from the bolder main crop found in breakfast tea. -
What makes Darjeeling tea taste different from other black teas?
Darjeeling's high-altitude gardens and cooler climate slow the tea plant's growth, concentrating delicate, muscatel and floral notes rarely found in lower-grown black tea. It's lighter in colour and body than Assam or Ceylon, which is why it's often drunk without milk. -
How does Indian tea differ from British tea?
"British tea" usually describes a blend, such as English Breakfast, rather than an origin, and is often made using Indian or African leaf. Indian tea, by contrast, refers to leaf grown in a specific region like Assam or Darjeeling, each with its own character rather than a single house style. See our guide to black tea styles for more.