Vanilla Flavoured Black Tea comprises fine blended Indian Assam and Darjeeling black teas from northern India tea gardens, selected and then further blended and delicately scented with vanilla pods and sunflower to enhance and complement the flavour of the tea. It makes a warming tea on a winter’s eve.
The tradition of flavouring tea is almost as old as tea itself although these more modern flavourings are a 20th Century innovation and are meant to provide just a hint of the flavour of the ingredients rather than a full flavoured experience like in Spiced Chai.
India is one of the world’s largest producers of tea in the world, with three main speciality teas: Assam, Darjeeling and Nilgiri.
The tea gardens of Assam lie in the fertile valley of the Brahmaputra River in Northern India, bordering Burma and Bangladesh, where tropical conditions and high levels of rainfall produce teas that are traditionally strong and pungent with a rich, malty flavour. Assam is a black tea named after the region of its production. Assam tea is manufactured specifically from the plant Camellia sinensis var. assamica, most of which is grown at or near sea level and is known for its body, briskness, malty flavour, plus its strong, bright colour. Assam teas, or blends containing Assam, are often sold as “breakfast” teas. as a robust, maltier and stronger breakfast tea and usually consist of small sized tea leaves.
The area is noted for its fine black teas but it does produce very small quantities of fine green and white tea.
Historically, Assam has been the second commercial tea production region after southern China. Southern China and Assam are the only two regions in the world with native tea plants.
Darjeeling teas are grown in the foothills of the Himalayas where the cooler, moist climate produces subtle, delicately flavoured teas with a wonderful aroma. They are often referred to as the “Champagne” of teas.
The Nilgiris, or Blue Mountains, lie in the south-west of India, and produce fine flavoured teas with rounded flavours and bright liquors.
