We have talked about Teas from the terrain of Darjeeling in Taj Mahal Oolong Tale -Dance of the Dragon and Autumn Wonder Tea: a rare, seasonal delicacy By now, you would have possibly got a good idea of the salient features of Darjeeling Teas in terms of taste and aroma, and you might have also tried some of them.

We now travel to a new terrain in North East India - Assam. As a single district, Assam is the largest tea growing area in the world. It actually has indigenous tea plants (Assam variety) growing wild since millennia. The raw tea leaves were locally consumed by “Ahom” Tribes for centuries till 1800s after which the British started developing plantations. The tea is grown on either side of the mighty Brahmaputra River. Unlike Darjeeling, all Assam plantations are located at sea level and grow in a hot, wet, tropical climate. This region produces both the traditional orthodox,” Lambi patti” variety as well as the CTC (Crush Tear and Curl) “Daanedaar” variety.

Teas from Assam are world renowned for their thick liquor, rich & robust taste and are hot global favourites for blends where consumers demand that “instant pick me up” to get them active and energised. In India, especially in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, consumers swear by Assam teas for their “Karak” taste and prefer to drink no other type.

We are delighted to serve you one of our most popular Assam teas - Royal Saffron tea, which is a mix of Strong Assam (CTC or Daanedar) tea, cinnamon, saffron, pepper and cardamom.

Let’s immerse ourselves into the world of this wonder spice called Saffron, which is added to this tea.

Saffron has been used for almost 3500 years. Today, it still holds a high value as both a spice used for cooking and an alternative treatment for various health conditions ranging from relieving depression to improving fertility. Saffron is also called “sunshine spice” as it is a mood elevator and it is believed that the Japanese still use it to cure Parkinson’s.

Saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world as it is harvested manually and also because a very small portion of the flower, which is the Stigma, is finally used. No wonder this spice could only be afforded by Royalty and was consumed as a herbal tea.

Major growing areas of the world are India, Iran, Greece, Italy and Spain. In India it is abundantly grown in Pulwama, (Jammu & Kashmir) also known as “Saffron bowl of Kashmir”.

The best way to prepare this tea is to boil with equal parts of water and milk for 5 to 6 minutes. While boiling please inhale the fragrant saffron aroma and also notice the orange tinge that appears above the golden-brown concoction. The beauty of the Assam CTC tea used is that it integrates very well with milk and spices without sacrificing any tea taste and strength. The result is truly an extravagant taste of “Saffron spicy tea” fit for Royalty!

The Royal Saffron Tea pairs beautifully with local festival favourites such as Jalebi, Gulab jamun, Malpua, Sheermaal, Balu Shahee, Gaajar ka halua, Bundi ke Laddu, Kalaakand, Chocolate Barfi and Gujiya. It will also go wonderfully with fruity cakes and pies, cookies and rich souffles.

So, we suggest that you indulge yourself in a warm comforting cup of Royal Saffron tea to elevate your mood and bring in that much needed festive cheer and goodness!

We wish you a happy festive season 2020!