Ceylon vs. Assam: What's the Difference?
Ceylon and Assam are both classic, unflavored black teas. The main difference between them is where they are grown: Assam is produced in the Assam region of India, while Ceylon is produced in Sri Lanka. The unique terroir of these environments gives these teas different flavor profiles. Assam is known for its bold, malty flavor, and is a popular ingredient in many breakfast blends. Ceylon is similar in taste, but tends to be a little brisker, with toasty and spicy notes.
Assam vs. Ceylon: the basics
Assam:
- Is sourced from the Assam region of India
- Is bold and malty
- Is commonly used in other breakfast blends, like English Breakfast and Irish Breakfast
Ceylon:
- Is sourced from Sri Lanka
- Is brisk and toasty
- Sometimes also included in breakfast blends
What is Assam?
Assam is a hearty black tea grown in the Assam region of India. This tea is often one of the primary components in popular breakfast blends such as English Breakfast and Irish Breakfast. While Assam can be consumed on its own for a bold, astringent cup, it’s also sturdy enough to stand up to the addition of milk and sugar. This tea brews up a dark copper color and has moderate astringency, with a full body and hints of malt and toast.
Like other types of black tea, Assam is made from the camellia sinensis tea plant. This tea is produced from the varietal camellia sinensis var. assamica, which is indigenous to the Assam region of India. This region contains growing conditions uniquely suited to the tea plant, including fertile soil and adequate rainfall each year. While tea has been consumed on a small scale in India for hundreds of years, it wasn’t until British colonization that tea began to be produced on a large scale for export. Today, the region is one of the largest exporters of tea in the world.
Our Assam
Our Assam is a robust black tea with tremendous flavor. This 2nd flush tea has a grade of FBOP (Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe). It brews up a rich coppery color with a full body, hints of malt and toast, and moderate astringency. An excellent tea to start the day with!
What is Ceylon?
Tea plants smuggled from China were first introduced to Sri Lanka in the 1800s while under British rule. At the time, the region was called Ceylon, which lent its name to the tea produced there.
While tea production in Sri Lanka started off with only a few tea plantations, tea continued to gain popularity as an export throughout the 19th century and beyond. Today, Sri Lanka is one of the largest producers of tea in the world. In addition to Ceylon black tea, Sri Lanka also produces other specialty teas, including green and white tea.
Ceylon has notes of citrus and spice, and is delicious enjoyed on its own or with a splash of milk and honey. This classic black tea is high in caffeine, containing about half as much as coffee per cup.
Our Ceylon
Our Ceylon black tea is a rich, smooth and highly aromatic black tea from Koslanda, Sri Lanka’s premier region for tea. It makes a brisk cup with just a hint of spice, and is a fine example of Ceylon tea at its best.
How to choose between Ceylon and Assam
Ceylon and Assam are similar enough in their flavor profile that many people who like bold, flavorful classic black teas enjoy both. Assam is a little maltier and sweeter, with notes of caramel and toast, while Ceylon is a little drier and brisker, but ultimately they share many similarities. Both are excellent options for a black tea to start your day with, and they also make great bases for homemade chai blends and other teas.
