Indian Tea

China was the global tea exporter until the middle of theXIX century, because nowhere (except Japan) it was not grown andproduced. However, the Qing court strengthened the isolationist policy,preventing the free tea trade in the coastal towns. It forced the British todevelop the tea production in Ceylonand its Indian colonies. The first English plantations were set up in Chabua, Upper Assam in 1835. The warm, humid climate and fertilesoil let the Fujiantea seeds grow and gave birth to the manufacturing tea growing. The tea gardens were set up in Darjeeling district in West Bengal (north-east India, located on the border with Tibet, Nepaland Bhutan)in 1856. By 1874 there were 113 Darjeelingtea plantations of about 6,000 hectares. And by 1887 the Indian teaproduction volume exceeded the purchase of Chinese tea.

The name Darjeeling comes from theTibetan word “dorje”, “unbreakable steadiness” and “ling”, “place”. The bestIndian tea is grown in the area around the Darjeeling city at the altitude of 1500-2000 meters. Darjeeling produces about10 000 tons of tea annually, that grown and harvested in the 87 tea plantationswith total area of 19,000 hectares. Each plantation has its own history, andthe tea has its special characteristics.

However, the much of Indiantea is produced in Assam,located in the north-east of India,in the Brahmaputra river valley. Teaproduction is the main branch of the local agriculture. According to the respectedexperts, the best tea is produced in Upper Assam, Middle Assam produces teas ofaverage quality, and Lower Assam produces lowquality tea. Assamiсa tea has bright, rich taste and a licorice tone in thebouquet.

Nilgiri means "Blue Mountains". It is the name of another tearegion in the south of India,in Tamil Nadu and Kerala states. Tea plantations are located at an altitude of 1,800 meters above sealevel and covers 25,000 hectares. Nilgiri produces about 62,000 tons of tea peryear here.

Sikkim is a state in north-east India, it is the youngest tearegion. The plantations were set up here in 1969 by the initiative of the localauthorities. Sikkim Tea is high quality tea and prized by connoisseurs on a parwith a fine Darjeeling.

Tea is made three timesa year in India.The first harvest is made in March-April. Spring tea has the most delicateflavor and aroma. The second harvest is made in May and June. This tea hasnutmeg notes in the bouquet. Autumn picking runs from the end of Septemberuntil mid-November. The autumn tea has an astringent and "hot" taste.

Indian tea is dividedinto the categories set by the British in the XIX century:

1. Whole leaf:

SFTGFOP (Super FineTippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) - whole leaf tea of the highest categorywith tips. Tea has a mild, sweet taste.

FTGFOP (Fine TippyGolden Flowery Orange Pekoe) – high quality whole leaf tea with tips.

TGFOP (Tippy Golden FloweryOrange Pekoe) – whole leaf tea with a bit of tips.

2. Broken leaf:

FTGFOP (Fine TippyGolden Broken Orange Pekoe) is a tea made from broken leaves and the 1 categorytips.

TGBOP (Tippy Golden BrokenOrange Pekoe) is a tea made from broken leaves and tips.

FBOP (Flowery BrokenOrange Pekoe) is a tea made from broken leaves. There are also some smalltwisted leaves.

BOP: Broken Orange Pekoe is teamade from broken leaves. The raw material is plucked on the plantations locatedin the plains.

3. Chopped leaf.

GFOF (Golden FloweryOrange Fannings) is a tea from small chopped leaves.

GOF (Golden OrangeFannings) is black tea with chopped leaves. Tea leaves are smaller than in the GFOFcategory

4. Tea made fromlow-grade raw materials.

D (Dust) is powdered tea thatused to fill tea bags.

Indian teaproduction technology includes five basic steps: picking, withering, twisting /fermentation, drying, sorting / packing.

The pickingbegins early in the morning. The picked leaves are delivered to the tea factory.The leaves are weighed and set out for withering, which, depending on humidityand the season lasts from 2 to 20 hours. Dried tea leaves lost up to 50%moisture, then they are machinery rolled and left for fermentation in theventilated room for 2-4 hours. At the final stage the tea leaves are roasted(also by machine) and sorted.

" inertia>China was the global tea exporter until the middle of theXIX century, because nowhere (except Japan) it was not grown andproduced. However, the Qing court strengthened the isolationist policy,preventing the free tea trade in the coastal towns. It forced the British todevelop the tea production in Ceylonand its Indian colonies. The first English plantations were set up in Chabua, Upper Assam in 1835. The warm, humid climate and fertilesoil let the Fujiantea seeds grow and gave birth to the manufacturing tea growing. The tea gardens were set up in Darjeeling district in West Bengal (north-east India, located on the border with Tibet, Nepaland Bhutan)in 1856. By 1874 there were 113 Darjeelingtea plantations of about 6,000 hectares. And by 1887 the Indian teaproduction volume exceeded the purchase of Chinese tea.