A Taste Of India – Indian Red Tea
There is some confusion to exactly what the term Red tea refers too. It seems to be used interchangeably for Rooibos, a tea that isnt really a tea at all, but comes from a red plant, and black tea which the Chinese called Red tea. For this article purposes we will be calling it Indian Red tea.
The History Of The Indian Red Tea
The history surrounding this tea is somewhat vague, but references to the tea being used, especially in medicinal purposes is found in many ancient Indian literature. Until recently India was the top tea producer, when it was overtaken by China, who have much more land available.
Because of the popularity of the tea, many iconic British tea brands import their tea from India. Indian red tea plantations are the second largest employer in the country.
India remains the biggest tea-drinking nation despite per capita cup being one of the lowest.
The Different Types Of Indian Red Tea
The Hindu word for tea is 'Chai'. Indian red tea has a bold an full bodied flavor and is often mixed with other spices such as Masala.
Darjeeling
Probably the most famous Indian red tea is the Darjeeling. Darjeeling varies from other Indian teas in that it is actually made from the Chinese plant Camellia Sinensis. Darjeeling is arguably one of the most exquisite and popular teas throughout the old British empire including the United Kingdom. Traditionally an Indian red tea, does actually come in Oolong and green variations.
The founder of Darjeeling tea was Dr.Campbell who in 1841, began experimenting with tea planting. The commercialism of the Indian red tea began in the 1850's. Darjeeling is a full flavor tea and comes in different quality grades of whole leaf, broken leaf, fannings, and dust. Dust is the lowest grade of Darjeeling tea.
Assam
Assam tea is a black tea made from the plant camellias sinesis var. assamica. It is named after the area it is grown in and it is known for its full, strong and malty taste with a bright, and bold color. This Indian red tea is produced in two flushes, which means that it is harvested twice a year. The second flush is the more prized tea called 'tippy tea' due to the gold tips on the leaves.
Nilgiri Tea
Nilgiri tea is a dark, aromatic, flavorful and fruitful tea. The environmental conditions surrounding the mountainous areas of Nilgiri, help this tea attain premium status. In brewing the tea, normally one teaspoon per 6 oz cup is used, and has a steeping time of three to four minutes.