Tarajulie Assam

If your idea of Assam is the brownish "dust" at the bottom of a supermarket teabag, this will be a happy revelation. This is Assam as it should taste: a bold, malty, single-estate Assam, thick and full-bodied, with a gorgeous dark coppery liquor. It is the tea that turns a strong cup into a proper one.

It comes from the Tarajulie Estate, planted back in 1884 near Tezpur in the Sonitpur district of Assam, out on the great flood plain of the Brahmaputra, with the Himalayas visible on the northern horizon on a clear day. This is classic Assam country: hot, steamy monsoons and rich river-laid soil, exactly what the large-leafed Assamica bush loves. It is made in the Orthodox style, whole-leaf and carefully rolled, rather than the crushed CTC method that Assam is better known for; that is what gives it the depth and roundness you taste.

There is a lovely wildness to the place, too. The estate sits close enough to the forest that wild elephants, and just occasionally a tiger, still wander through, and rather than fence them out, the garden keeps patches of woodland as cover for them. There is a real community here as well, families who have lived and worked on the estate for generations.

As for drinking it: this is a wonderful single-estate upgrade to your everyday breakfast tea. It is a proper, loose-leaf black tea, so there is plenty of caffeine, and it is equally lovely with or without milk. It stands up beautifully to big flavours; think a croissant and jam, or a stack of blueberry pancakes.

Brew at 100°C for 3 to 4 minutes, longer if you like it really robust.

Ingredients || Black Tea (Assam, Orthodox).

Warning, packed in an environment that contains nuts

Caffeine || Yes

Tasting Notes || Bold, thick and malty, with a dark coppery liquor

Brewing Notes || 1 teaspoon per cup, 100ºC, brew for 4 minutes.