Honest Everyday Assam OP1 Loose Leaf Black Tea

Assam OP1 loose leaf black tea is the grade that serious everyday tea drinkers come back to. OP1 — Orange Pekoe One — sits just above the standard OP grade in terms of leaf delicacy: the leaves are long and wiry, producing a slightly lighter, cleaner liquor than the fuller-bodied grades while still delivering everything that makes Assam black tea so beloved in Britain. Malty, bright, and satisfying, this is a tea that earns its place on the shelf.

The story of Assam tea begins in the early nineteenth century, when Scottish adventurer Robert Bruce encountered wild tea plants being brewed by the indigenous Singpho people of northeastern India. His discovery — and his brother's subsequent work in having the plant properly classified as Camellia sinensis var. assamica — changed the course of tea history. Within a generation, the Brahmaputra Valley had become the world's largest tea-producing region, and Assam's bold, malty character had made it the backbone of the British cup. That reputation has never wavered.

What gives Assam its character is a combination of geography and climate. The Brahmaputra Valley sits at near sea level in a subtropical belt, receiving extraordinary rainfall and intense heat during the growing season. These conditions drive the tea plant to produce thick, expressive leaves rich in tannins and polyphenols — the compounds responsible for Assam's strength, its warm amber colour, and the brisk finish that makes it so well suited to milk.

This particular tea wears the word 'honest' deliberately. It is not trying to be an occasion tea or a collector's piece. It is a well-made, whole-leaf Assam OP1 that brews reliably, tastes as it should, and is at home in a mug at eight in the morning just as comfortably as in a pot at half past three.

Since 2008, High Teas London has been one of the country's leading independent tea specialists. With over 350 teas and infusions — one of the largest collections in the country — we have always believed that quality loose leaf tea should be for every day, not just special occasions. This is a tea that embodies that belief.

Ingredients: Assam black tea (Camellia sinensis var. assamica).

Brewing Note: Assam OP1 rewards a straightforward approach. Use freshly drawn water brought to a full rolling boil — 100°C — and allow around one heaped teaspoon of leaf per cup, or a little more if you prefer a stronger brew. Steep for three to four minutes for a bright, well-balanced cup, or push to five minutes if you want more body and depth. Because the OP1 grade produces a slightly lighter liquor than a broken-leaf Assam, it takes milk particularly well without being overwhelmed by it — though it is equally clean and pleasantly brisk when drunk plain. Warm the pot first if you are brewing for more than one cup; it makes a noticeable difference.