Assam is one of the only two places in the world (the other being Southern China) which has native tea plants. Assam tea was discovered by a Scottish adventurer, Robert Bruce in 1823. He had observed the locals brewing the leaves. This variety is particularly famous for brewing black tea and is also known for its malty flavour. This part of India experiences high precipitation; during the monsoon period, as much as 250-300 mm of rain per day. The daytime temperature rises to about 36°C, 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. Assam tea is harvested twice in a year. The first harvest is called "first flush" and the second one is called "second flush". The second flush tea is also known as "tippy tea" because the tea leaves have golden tips. The tea from the second flush is considered more valuable because of its rich quality.
