Why You should drink Orthodox Tea?

Tea actually should mean orthodox tea only, because that’s the natural way to manufacture and drink tea.

However, my above statement will not go so well with the big billion dollar brands ,who make heavy bucks on selling tea which is NOT orthodox. Though majority of the world tea is produced in the orthodox process, it is estimated that at least 40% of the rest of the tea manufactured are not orthodox – they are CTC. This CTC tea is what is mostly available in the market in the branded boxes for the uninitiated buyers.

So, let us understand what is orthodox tea and why they are different from CTC. This understanding is very important to make informed decision about what tea you are going to buy and drink next.

Here it is:

Orthodox tea is made (or manufactured) in the traditional method – that is by hand. Once the tea  – leaves, buds and twigs – are plucked, they go through the traditional processes of withering, rolling, oxidization and firing. This takes time to make one batch of tea. However, this time taking is also responsible for creating the various varieties of teas like the white, green, oolong or black.

Since this is the traditional way of manufacturing tea, it is called Orthodox tea. Orthodox tea manufacturing takes time, needs huge manpower (as some processes can only be done by hand) and are more authentic in terms of it aroma, flavour and brew. Because these teas are made in this traditional ways, orthodox teas give the authentic experience of tea drinking by bringing out more complex and subtle multilayer flavours of tea, making such teas expensive and premium.

Orthodox tea and tea liquor

 

With an orthodox tea multiple infusions are also possible, which in a way, reduces the cost per cup for the consumer.

CTC, which stands for Crush, Tear and Curl, is a mechanized process of tea manufacturing where the plucked teas are put in rolling machines for processing. The machine slices everything of the tea-plant – the leaves, twigs and buds – creating a homogenous variety of standard black tea. Yes, CTC produces only black tea, which comes with a strong liquor and bold flavour . They are much cheaper (and poorer in quality) than the orthodox tea as they are machine produced for mass consumption.

CTC tea shall always require milk to be added to the brew (since the liquor is strong) while drinking, and are mostly used for tea bags which are, in turn, filled with the lowest variety of the CTC tea.

CTC Tea

With CTC tea multiple infusions are not possible.

 

 

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Why Indian Tea is Unique?

India is the world’s second largest tea producer and produces some of the best quality teas in the world. In fact our teas are so good, that our Darjeeling Tea is called the Champagne of Teas. Not only that, when a tea growing nation tries to market their tea globally they benchmark it against our teas (my firsthand experience at this year’s Dubai #Gulfood).

The teas that come from India are, however, very unique as compared to rest of the world. And this uniqueness comes at the very basic level – that is the kinds of teas plants that we have, the produce of which gives an array of teas diversified in flavor, aroma, astringency, body and value.

India is the only country (only other the Szechuan and Yunnan provinces of China), which has teas produced from both the tea plants varieties (there are only two) – that is Camellia Sinensis as well as Camellia Assamica. While Camellia Sinensis came to India from China with the British, Camellia Assamica is a native of India. Our very premium Darjeeling teas are produced from Camellia Sinensis, while the robust Assam, versatile Nilgiris and other teas comes from Camellia Assamica.

Globally this is how teas are produced:

• Sinensis is grown in China, Korea, Japan and in Darjeeling in India.
• Assamica is grown in Kenya, Vienam, India – other than Darjeeling, Myanrma, Sri Lanka etc. Sinensis leaves are being brewed as tea for thousands years now, while Assamica became popular when the East India Company decided to make tea as a commercial commodity for mass consumption.

Relatively small and narrow leaves of Sinensis and larger Assamica

How this makes Indian Tea unique?

Well, to begin with India produces and exports some of the best Orthodox teas that comes from its various tea growing regions.

Second, the Indian orthodox tea (primarily Sinensis and some Assamica) is so good that they are one of the most premium teas in the world and they fetch high dollars based on the estate / garden they come from, or the time of the year that they are produced (very much like wine).

Third, our Assamica teas are used globally to make some of best tea variations, such as The English Breakfast Tea which is one of the most popular teas around the world.

Fourth, the lesser teas are also used in tea blends or flavoured teas where teas are enhanced with additional flavors from flowers and oils to herbs and spices.

It is interesting to know that many tea producing countries are positioning themselves as a source for flavoured teas, while this is an interesting variation to teas that they sell, it has to be kept in mind that only lesser or low quality teas are enhanced – a premium tea like Darjeeling will never be or should never be used for flavouring.

As a Darjeeling tea drinker, I may, at times, indulge myself with some flavour enhanced teas, but they would never be equal to the aroma and flavor of a second or a first flush, single estate, high altitude muscatel Darjeeling 🙂

 

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Next story: What makes a premium tea and what you should look for before buying one?

Tea with TWG, Dubai

If you are in Dubai, and you love tea, you have to be at TWG.

I was in Dubai to visit the #Gulfood 2018. On the last day when everyone was busy wrapping up their booths and giving way their displayed items to the visitors, I quickly took the metro from across the Dubai Trade Center and made my way to reach the Dubai Mall – the largest shopping mall in the world in terms of gross area covered. A part of the 20-billion-dollar Downtown complex, and including 1,200 shops, the Dubai Mall that opened on 4 November 2008, attracts over 54 million visitors every year!

So, on 22^nd Feb 2018, when I became one such number among that impressive number of visitors, I did two things:

1. I climbed up the tallest building in the world – Burj Khalifa
2. I paid a visit to TWG

It’s my love for tea that took me to TWG, but it’s the tea artist in me that was satiated. TWG, the Singapore based luxury tea brand with presence in over 14 countries, is well known for its tea rooms, luxury blends, handpicked teawares and tea based pastries / nibbles.

I entered TWG and was completely taken by the entire display of teas and teawares. Lot of thoughts have been put in creating the aesthetic as well as the functional elements of the tearoom. From colours used to the openness of the place, to the perfectly stitched smart uniforms to the displayed items – everything spoke volume about the brand’s positioning in the market and its vision about tea.

As I introduced myself as a Tea Artist from India visiting Dubai to attend the Gulfood, I was given a very warm welcome. Mr. Chandan Pradhan, the Manager at the tearoom showed me around the place, sharing interesting history or tit-bits about different teas that they had as well as some of the caddies that they have created.

However, nothing beat the feeling of actually seeing a spoonful of tea – they call the Gold Tea – that is priced at AED33,000 ! I figured the tea has actual gold flakes and gold powder! I felt real rich just looking at that wonderful tea.

The Gold Tea with real gold!

At the end of my visit, I was so very kindly, offered to try one of their teas. I happily accepted J I was offered a nice blend of green tea along with some macaroons (which are also made with tea). While the macaroons were a bit on the sweeter side, it perfectly complemented the fantastic aromatic tea that I had the opportunity to sip.

The Tea I sipped

Thank you Chandan for your hospitality even though we had only limited time in hand; and that you come from Darjeeling, the place where my favourite teas come from (and my home state) is indeed, the cherry on the top!

 

Chandan and Me

 

Get in touch with me at itsourcuppatea@gmail.com

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Tea – Trends for 2018

Tea takes you to places. Literally. So I ended up visiting Dubai to attend the Gulfood Festival and to witness what’s happening for our favourite drink all around the world. And what an experience it was!

The Gulfood Festival was held at the Dubai Trade Center (18^th to 22 February 2018) which with over 1.3 million square feet of covered exhibition and event space, 21 halls, over 40 meeting rooms across 3 floors, and hosting over 500 events annually – is a very impressive infrastructure. I couldn’t visit all the halls and exhibition areas even in 5 days. So instead, I simply remained at the beverages section enjoying the many intertwined  aromas of tea, coffee, juices, health drinks etc and experiencing the bustling activities around.

The Beverages Hall

As expected the tea section was dominated by the Sri Lankan and the Indian tea companies. The tea boards of both the countries were present, along with a host of small tea brands who participated under these two tea boards. There were also quite a few large tea companies who were there independently and had large spaces displaying their variety of teas. I was not surprised to find Dilmah, the very reputed Tea Brand from Sri Lanka, occupying one of the largest booths.

I found that the Sri Lankan Tea companies were displaying lot more functional teas with herbs, flowers, and spice blends, while the Indian tea companies where primarily focusing on pure orthodox or CTC teas and some tea mixes (No!). The green tea, which is growing strong with its positioning as a health drink, was one of the most discussed teas;  while I also found a few matcha tea booths offering interesting innovations.  There were no Chinese or Japanese tea representations, though. But I did found teas from Kenya and Vietnam (collected samples from them – they looked and smelled really nice); and found Argentine mate making inroads into Indian market as a direct competition to green tea. Mate, which is actually a herb, is the national infusion of both Argentina and Uruguay.

Tea trends in 2018

Based on my 5 day visit and after talking to quite a few tea suppliers from India, Sri Lanka, Kenya; buyers from UAE, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Russia (and others); tea brands from North America, Europe and Asia, here are my top 5 trends for tea in 2018:

1. Teas with functional ingredients are going to be the next big trend, primarily riding on the health benefit platform that most teas – particularly green teas – are offered with.
2. Herbal Teas are becoming very popular for the European and the American market (USA & Canada).
3. Look out for cold pressed teas.
4. Healthier tea drinking options – example iced tea without sugar.
5. Gourmet and specialty teas which have stories to tell.

My view:

Instead of copying the trends in coffee, which I am increasingly finding in tea, tea companies should focus on their own innovations and creativity. Tea is a more dynamic and versatile beverage as compared to coffee, therefore, imitating coffee trends for tea would be, literally, underplaying the possibilities that tea as a drink offers.

Tea is more like wine. While health is a great platform to be in for tea, tea should and must be positioned as a celebratory drink that can match every mood of one’s daily life.

Here’s to that cuppa!

 

Write to me at itsourcuppatea@gmail.com