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Each 1.06 oz Tin contains approximately 10-12 servings. Depending on steeping method, each serving can yield 2-3 cups, for a total of 20-30 cups per tin.
Sivasagar, Assam
First and second (spring and summer)
300 ft
P-126
Whole leaf black tea
Assam's teas exhibit a diverse and intricate range of flavors with malty notes, yet not all of them capture the essence of fine, aged brandy. This whole leaf black tea from the Sivasagar district of Assam certainly does. Boasting a bright amber hue, a luxurious mouthfeel, and an array of subtle notes including honey, malt, cacao, oak, smoke, and stone fruit, each sip of this tea unfolds into a smooth and perfectly balanced experience with a wonderful aftertaste. As you steep a cup, raise it to toast to the picturesque North-East Indian hills, the birthplace of this exceptional tea.
Our selection of this unique Assam Special Reserve tea stems from its status as a premium loose leaf black tea, distinguished by its unparalleled quality. This exceptionally smooth, harmoniously balanced tea is suitable for indulgence during both morning and afternoon moments. It stands as one of our favorites, embodying excellence in every aspect. Cheers!
High-Moderate
Number of infusions per 2.5 g serving: 4-5
2.5 gms of tea (use a digital scale)
120-150 ml (4-5 fl-oz) or 1/2 - 2/3rd cup of water at 90°C - 99°C (or 195°F - 210°F)
This Assam black tea works great for the gongfu method of steeping as it helps coax out all the subtle flavors.
We recommend 5 gm of tea
100 ml water (approximate 10-20 ml of water per 1 gm of tea) at 85°C - 90°C (or 185°F - 195°F).
More on: What Do You Need To Steep Tea?
Origin
Golden-green rice fields, thick forests, manicured tea estates surrounded by blue hills, green valleys, and a red river, Assam is the largest Northeastern state in India. Situated just below the eastern Himalayan foothills, it stretches along the Brahmaputra River. This Tippy tea comes from the Sivasagar district from Aideobarie tea estate by the banks of the river Teok. 'Teok' means – 'The place of milk and ghee' in Tai.
The Tippy Assam black tea offers a delightful blend of flavor and health benefits. Packed with antioxidants, black may help boost immunity, improve cardiovascular, neurological health, and enhance focus. Additionally, black tea supports digestion and may aid in weight management making it an excellent choice for those seeking a delicious and healthy daily brew.
Read more about the Chronicles of Assam Black Tea, a one-of-a-kind malty, black tea that is produced in Assam.
Meet
Hunted for its horn, the one horned rhinos were almost extinct, with less than 200 left by the end of the 19th century. Conservation efforts have revived their population and brought their worldwide numbers to around 3,000 now — the bulk of them in Kaziranga, Assam.
The dry packet/ leaves smelled like dried fruit/raisins mostly. The wet leaves smelled like black tea and a hint of smoke (not really fruity, surprisingly, but did smell fruity dry and tasted fruity).
I tried a spoon of it plain first and it was smooth and the cocoa note was dominant, with some malt and a hint of bitterness. Low astringency.
I loved this tea when I added a splash of milk and some sugar. The sugar brought out the fruity notes and the milk made it not bitter at all!
I was able to get a second western-style steeping from the leaves, which was a bit weaker brew, but still held up well to additions. If you like breakfast-style teas or other Assams, you will love this!
Savor the Luxurious Complexity of Assam Special Reserve Black Tea ☕✨
Whether you’re starting your morning or taking a well-earned afternoon break, this premium Assam tea is a toast to quality and craftsmanship.
Steep a cup, take a sip, and let your senses travel to the lush hills of North-East India, where this exceptional Assam tea originates. With deep malty notes and a smooth, brandy-like richness, this whole-leaf black tea is truly a delight. Every infusion reveals layers of flavor. honey, cacao, oak, stone fruit, and a whisper of smoke, is enough to make any tea lover swoon.
This tea uppon opening has a very malty aroma, it brews up a nice golden color, drinking it both hot and iced, i brew 5 oz per packaging instrctions then poured over ice, the with the same leaves did a second brew for my hot tasting, the leaves expanded nicely going from think and fragile rolled full leaf to a nice and open full leaf, tbe taste of this one is intresting the box says taste like a fine aged brandy, buts as someone who doesnt drink i have no comparison for that, the taste is intresting, its nice and malty, it says on the packaging notes of honey, malt, cacao, oak, smoke and fruits. I do pick up on the oak malt smoke and a little bit of what i think is the cacao, i get not a whole lot of sweetness or fruit from this cup. Drinking hot is defiently a lot more malty astrigent and less smooth cup, but it has more or the smokey oak flavor and a bit of sweetness. Theres not a huge aftertaste or lingering on the pallet but the aftertaste does have a little bit more of the sweetness coming in the when drinking the tea
I think I actually prefer the hot version compared to the cup of iced, while this tea is not what i usually reach for flavor profile wise i am enjoying drinking this cup and its a nice variety to expand the taste experience with!
What a delightful assam tea! I was excited for this tea while opening the package. I love a good malty tea and this assam doesn’t disappoint. Right from the first scent I knew this would be a delicious tea. I enjoyed each sip. The first cup I brewed I drank plain and especially enjoyed the malty notes. The second steeping I added a bit of brown sugar and milk to try that experience. Those additions brought out the natural sweetness and other flavor notes.
I could see this tea being a great iced tea. The stronger flavor will not be easily watered down.
I have been provided this tea for review but all opinions are my own.
Mr. Spock has it right: drink some Assam Special Reserve and you too will live long and prosper!
It felt right, too, to capture it with the daffodil sprigs that are already pushing up in our flowerbed. Not knowing (or caring) that the temperature is going to drop at least once more before winter’s had its last gasp, the first signs of spring are here… within the green sprouts lie both hope and the promise of the delight to come - both in the weather, and in the tea!
I have to admit, I normally avoid Assam teas because they can be astringent and malty: two things that don’t particularly appeal to me. But this one was bar none the smoothest, gentlest assam I’ve ever had - certainly earning its special reserve status! It had lovely yet subtle woodsy notes post-brew, and steeped to a surprisingly light shade of amber. Very enjoyable and highly recommended!
Our Assam Special Reserve is also known as a tippy tea as it has abundant, beautiful oxidized golden buds which give it a sweet, delicate and smooth experience.
This is a beautiful loose leaf black tea that has wonderful aromas and flavors. It is lovely by it self or with a dash of milk and sugar. It definitely has strong malty and bold notes expected from an Assam tea but it is smooth as it is a whole leaf tea and steeps beautifully.
Assam Special Reserve can be enjoyed as is and provide a wake me up cup in the morning, or a peaceful respite in the afternoon. It can also be enjoyed with traditional Indian snacks like samosas, pakoras and bhujiya or with cookies, cheese & crackers or delicate afternoon sandwiches. A perfect afternoon tea experience!
Yes our Assam Special Reserve is wonderful steeped hot or iced.
All teas should be stored in an airtight container away from sunlight in a cool dry place. Our beautiful tins with unique artwork are a perfect way to keep the tea fresh and flavorful. All our black teas age wonderfully and preserve the flavors.
Our single origin Assam Special Reserve black tea is sourced from a small tea farm in the Sivasagar district in Assam.
Yes, we work directly with tea growers across India and personally select their best batches.
We focus on creating strong partnerships with farmers across India and personally selecting their best batches. Our teas are single origin, small batch, and directly sourced with a focus on flavor, season, and terroir. Our loose-leaf teas are all high quality with nuanced aromas and flavors, excellent for gongfu steeping or Western style steeping.
Unlike commodity teas or other Indian tea companies, which often sell broken teas, we offer whole leaf teas. When steeped, whole leaf teas provide a wonderful taste and flavor without the astringency and bitterness that comes with steeping broken teas.
We are tea sommeliers with strong connections to farmers across India. We select single origin, single batch, directly sourced teas with a focus on flavor, terroir, and season. By eliminating the middleman, we ensure that our teas are fresh, often weeks to months old, compared to commodity teas which can be years old.
Our focus on whole leaf teas ensures wonderful aromas and flavors that you will enjoy. Our customers enjoy our teas and we often hear from tea connoisseurs, “we did not enjoy Indian teas as much until we tried the exceptional teas offered by Herbs & Kettles.”
Our teas are farm fresh and packed at origin. We work with tea farmers who use organic farming methods and ensure that their tea workers are treated fairly, helping to uplift the entire community.
By working directly with tea farmers and maintaining strong partnerships, we eliminate the middleman. Our regional loose leaf teas are packed at origin, ensuring farm-to-cup freshness.
We purchase new lots every year, and our teas are often air mailed to us rather than shipped by ocean, ensuring they are weeks or months old instead of years old which is often a problem with grocery stores or commodity teas. We recommend trying it for yourself to appreciate the freshness and quality of our teas.
Yes, we share our passion for high quality Indian teas by offering seasonal and limited edition teas such as Darjeeling Yanki Red Oolong and Meghalaya Silver Needle. We buy new lots every year ensuring that each tea retains farm to cup freshness and also select new interesting teas for our collection.
Tea lovers may enjoy our premium subscription box - Herbs & Kettles Fine Tea Club, which includes fantastic, seasonal, limited batch teas that are often only weeks old, air mailed directly from our farm partners.
If you're looking for a Darjeeling tea based on the season or flush, we've chosen them with extreme care to ensure that each batch is exceptional and the best of the season.
For those who enjoy malty Assam teas, we have a premium collection, including innovative batches like Assam GABA and Assam Smoked Melody. Our Nilgiri Frosted teas are divine, and we also offer teas from lesser-known regions such as Meghalaya and Sikkim.
Additionally, we carry wild teas from Manipur and Nagaland in the extreme northeastern region of India, close to Yunnan. Can't decide? We offer tea samples to help you find your favorite teas.
