Assam Black Teas from India

[Richard Kilgore]

It's time for me to re-stock a few Assams as I am just about out. Which ones from which tea merchants do you like the best? They vary, so what characteristics do you like in an Assam?

[pastameshugana]

When we lived in Bangalore, I tried quite a few of the local ones, and my favorite was always Kho-Cha. Just seemed to be 'right'. I'm not enough of a tea person to describe in detail what I liked about it.

Of course, I also took a liking to mixing my kho-cha assam and darjeeling in the last year or so we were there...

I don't know if you can get Kho-Cha here, I haven't tried as I brought back a big pile when we came back to the us.

[DickL]

Fair notice: if you're a tea connoisseur, stop reading now.

Call me Mr. Cheap, but I just buy packaged bulk Assam at an Indian grocery. Currently I'm working on a pound (or maybe half-kilo) bag of Nirav brand (Ive also used "Assam CTS Tea" from B&A and from Taj Food & Gifts). I like Assam because I can brew up a pot of it and I don't have to be concerned about it getting bitter as it stands. It's also pretty economical. And in hot weather, it makes good iced tea.

Although I don't generally use tea bags at home, I do when I'm traveling. I've found the Brook Bond "Taj Mahal Orange Pekoe" bags (which are some sort of blend of Assam teas) to be reliably good. They're full 2 gram tea bags, and again, pretty economical (about 4 cents apiece).

[Richard Kilgore]

I found an over-the-top excellent Assam at The Culture Cup a few days ago: a Jamirah Estate Assam. But still looking for other recommendations.

Any other Assams to recommend?

[andiesenji]

I particularly like the Sessa estate Assam.

Tea Time is where I purchased it. First I purchased the Assam Teas Sampler and liked the Sessa so much I ordered more.