TV23 vs TV25
Two high-yielding Assam clones that between them supply an enormous quantity of blended black tea. They are close relatives in purpose and differ in the trade-offs each makes between drought tolerance, body and the manufacture it suits.
cultivar
What is being compared
Point by point
| Aspect | TV23 | TV25 |
|---|---|---|
| Yield | High. | High, and more reliable in a dry year. |
| Drought tolerance | Moderate. | Comparatively good, which matters in an increasingly erratic Assam monsoon. |
| Liquor | Bright, brisk and coloury. | Fuller-bodied. |
| Manufacture | CTC. | CTC and orthodox both. |
| Blending role | Colour and briskness. | Body. |
| Visibility to a drinker | None; it is never named at retail. | Occasionally named on orthodox lots. |
The short answer
Neither cultivar will ever appear on a supermarket packet, and both are worth knowing because they explain a real property of the tea inside it: blended Assam is consistent because the plants were selected to make it so, not because the blender is skilled at hiding variation.
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