Assam's second-flush Tonganagaon Tea Estate sits near the Himalayan foothills, close to the Brahmaputra river, and this lot carries the grade FTGFOP1 — Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, meaning a high proportion of golden tips among the leaves. That tippiness tends to soften and smooth the cup rather than sharpen it, which suits Assam drinkers who want body without harshness. The tasting profile runs malty and sweet, with lemon and orange brightness threaded through honey and a faint vegetal note; poured with milk it rounds out further.
The estate dates to 1927 and has belonged to the Chamong group, run by the Lohia family, since 2008 — the family has worked tea land for six generations, with gardens now spread across Darjeeling and Assam. Under Ashok Lohia the property was rebuilt from a neglected state: old bushes were replaced, the factory renovated, and organic methods brought in across what is now 538 hectares under cultivation, free of synthetic fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides. Tea & Coffee packs this tea fresh to order at its Kent factory.
A cup carries roughly 45mg of caffeine, on the lower end for a black tea. Black tea of this kind has long been drunk as a source of antioxidants, though that's a traditional association rather than a guarantee. For brewing, use a full boil and steep loose leaf for about four minutes; serve it black or soften it with milk, sugar, honey or lemon as you prefer.
