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Black Tea

Organic Assam Black

$16.99

Assam Black tea is India’s signature morning cup: strong, bold, and full-bodied enough to handle milk and sugar. It’s the classic tea used for chai and to craft Earl Grey. We source ours from the Chardwar Estate, a garden leading India’s post-colonial approach to tea.

Preparation

Steep 1 0.5 Tbsp /2.5 g | 8 oz | 210° F | 4 min

Steep 2 8 oz | 210° F | 5 min

Tasting Notes

Plump raisin & malty cereal

Origin

Assam, Northeastern Indian tropics

Tea Makers

Chardwar Estate

Certifications

USDA Organic

Flavor & Aroma

The strength of Assam Black tea is legendary. Its rich and bold body is balanced by fruity and malty top notes, coming together to make the classic cuppa. The British pioneered new processing techniques with Assam and used the region’s black teas in the world’s first Earl Greys. English Breakfast was traditionally a blend of different Assam teas. We find this tea the ideal pairing for any sweet treat, especially those with dairy. Lovers of English Breakfast, Earl Grey, and those in search of a top-quality chai base will likely enjoy this one.

Origin Story

Assam is the world’s most productive tea region. Deep in the tropical jungles just off the mighty Brahmaputra River, the low-elevation tea plants are incredibly prolific and have larger leaves than the mountain varieties. The British built Assam and, along with it, the foundations for their global tea empire at an unbelievably quick speed. Within 40 years of establishing the first plantations, India overtook China as the largest tea producer in the world. Today most Assam teas end up in tea bags. The leaves go through a multistage processing technique known as CTC (cut-tear-curl). Breaking the leaves into the smallest bits, the abundance of surface area makes the leaf particles release all their flavor notes in a single steep. In contrast, the orthodox style of production used to make Chardward’s Assam Black Tea keeps the tea more intact, setting the stage for more robust and well rounded infusions.

  • Origin Story
  • Production

Tea Makers

The Chardwar Estate is one of the projects taken on by Tea Promoters of India (TPI), a unique Indian-owned company working to change the Indian tea industry from the inside out. TPI was one of the earliest adopters of organic and biodynamic practices in Assam, and also one of the first to advocate for women’s education among Assam’s tea workers, including reproductive health. TPI has a tradition of purchasing traditionally colonial tea gardens, then reinventing them to benefit the local people and soils. Chardwar fits that mold. In 2015, when Chardwar was on the verge of failure, TPI purchased the garden and has been reviving it and the nearby community ever since. The name Chardwar translates to "Four Doors" and is a nod to a story about the garden offering four doors to heaven.

Impact

Tea Promoters of India, the India-based owners of this tea garden is dedicated to imagining a better future. They were one of the first companies in Assam to consider what a post-colonial model of tea could look like. Their efforts pre-date the fair trade concept, and, in fact, fair trade certifiers have based their standards off of practices that began at TPI’s gardens. Today, TPI is actively involved in supporting the development of new supply chains to bring emerging tea makers’ wares to the worldwide market.

Our Sustainable Packaging

Tins

Durable and reusable, made from 100% recyclable steel. Labels are not recyclable but made from 50% hemp and 50% post-consumer waste.

Bulk Bags

Tough, resealable stand-up pouches with storing moisture and oxygen barriers. Not recyclable due to a 3-layer structure that serves as a food-safe barrier to keep your tea fresh as long as possible.

Pyramid Tea Bags

Recyclable stand-up pouches with tea bags, strings, and tags made from 100% sugarcane PLA, commercially compostable and degrades into organic matter. For best results, use a commercial compost facility.