The origins of our Assam Thowra Indian black tea

This distinctive single origin loose-leaf black tea is from Thowra Estate, one of the most famous and respected tea gardens in the Sivasagar district of Assam, India. A wonderful breakfast brew, Assam Thowra is an outstanding second-flush loose leaf tea with a full-bodied, robust spicy and malty flavour. Its neat, wiry tea leaves boast an abundance of golden tips and impart a copper-coloured infusion with a distinctive malty aroma. It is exactly the kind of tea that you will want to pair with a full English fry-up or as an alternative to our best selling English Breakfast.

Assam teas, most of which are grown at or near sea level, are known for their body, briskness and malty flavour, as well as their strong and bright colour. This one is no exception. A TGFOP (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) grade tea, it has all the nuance that you would expect of a top-quality Assam: a hearty aroma of caramel, cacao and biscotti, followed by flavours of malty sweet raisins and dates with hints of stone fruit.

Like all strong black teas, Assam Thowra is high in caffeine, which can help sharpen your focus and promote a sense of wellbeing, hence we recommend it for the morning. The health benefits of black tea have been well researched in recent years and linked to everything from lowered blood pressure and improved gut health, to reduced risk of Parkinson's disease and certain forms of cancer. What's more, if you choose not to add milk or honey, Assam Thowra is a vegan tea – although we do love this one with a generous splash of milk.

The terroir of Assam

Occupying the lush green landscape of north-east India, the state of Assam is the largest tea-growing region in the world. This mostly low-lying region is dominated by the mighty Brahmaputra river and renowned for its forests, wetlands and floodplains.

Assam has a climate dominated by heavy rainfall and high humidity. This part of India experiences high precipitation during the monsoon period, with as much as 250-300mm of rain per day. The daytime temperature often rises to about 40C, creating greenhouse-like conditions of extreme humidity and heat. It's this tropical climate, combined with the region's low average elevation, that contributes to Assam's unique malty taste and makes it one of the world's most popular breakfast brews. Our Assam Thowra is cultivated on an tea plantation that dates back to 1970 and sits at an elevation of 1000m above sea level.

Alternatives to this single origin Black Tea

If you are a fan of a classic morning brew, you can't go past a caddy of our eye-opening Assam Breakfast tea, a bold, dark blend to kick off your day. For another outstanding tippy tea, we recommend our single-origin Assam Mangalam, while our Assam Manjushree is a delightful alternative second-flush Assam teas to try.

For more about Assam tea's taste, history and how to brew it, our in-depth guide has all you need to know. While you are shopping for a caddy of Assam's finest, why not check out our brilliant range of classic Cornishware – with its bold, cheerful stripes, it's the perfect porcelain to pair with your breakfast brews.

The tea offers a cacao and biscotti aroma and deep amber infusion. A strong malty cup with raisin and dates and warm spicy mouthfeel.

Pure Indian black tea