INTRODUCTION

Assam tea is a black tea named after the region of its production, Assam, India. It is
manufactured specifically from the plant Camellia sinensis var. assamica (Masters).[1]
[2]
 The Assam tea plant is indigenous to Assam—initial efforts to plant the Chinese
varieties in Assam soil did not succeed.[3][4] Assam tea is now mostly grown at or near
sea level and is known for its body, briskness, malty flavour, and strong, bright colour.
Assam teas, or blends containing Assam, are often sold as "breakfast" teas. For
instance, Irish breakfast tea, a maltier and stronger breakfast tea, consists of small-
sized Assam tea leaves.[5]
The state of Assam is the world's largest tea-growing region by production, lying on
either side of the Brahmaputra River, and bordering Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and
very close to China. This part of India experiences high rainfall; during
the monsoon period, as much as 250 to 300 mm (10 to 12 in) of rain per day. The
daytime temperature rises to about 36 °C (96.8 °F), creating greenhouse-like conditions
of extreme humidity and heat. This tropical climate contributes to Assam's
unique malty taste, a feature for which this tea is well known.
Though Assam generally denotes the distinctive black teas from Assam, the region
produces smaller quantities of green[6] and white teas as well, with their own distinctive
characteristics.[7] Historically, Assam has been the second commercial tea production
region after southern China, the only two regions in the world with native tea plants.
The introduction of the Assam tea bush to Europe is related to Robert Bruce,
a Scottish adventurer, who apparently encountered it in the year 1823. Bruce reportedly
found the plant growing "wild" in Assam while trading in the region. Maniram
Dewan directed him to the local Singpho chief Bessa Gam.[8] Bruce noticed local people
(the Singhpos) brewing tea from the leaves of the bush and arranged with the local
chiefs to provide him with samples of the leaves and seeds, which he planned to have
scientifically examined. Robert Bruce died shortly thereafter, without having seen the
plant properly classified. It was not until the early 1830s that Robert's brother, Charles,
arranged for a few leaves from the Assam tea bush to be sent to the botanical gardens
in Calcutta for proper examination. There, the plant was finally identified as a variety of
tea, or Camellia sinensis var assamica, but different from the Chinese version (Camellia
sinensis var. sinensis). Indigenous Assam tea plant was first mentioned by a historian
called Samuel Baidon who published Tea in Assam in 1877. [9]