TeaHQ

Assam second flush

The May-to-June Assam harvest, and the one the region is actually famous for. Warmer weather and mature leaf produce the golden tips, heavy malt and thick body that define Assam in most people’s minds — the first flush, picked in March, is a lighter and brisker tea that few outside the trade ever meet.

Black teaBold intensityAccessible to appreciateForgiving to brew
Brew at 95–100 °CUse 1–1.5 g per 100 mlFirst steep 210sWestern brewing (teapot or mug)Full schedule and equipment →

Character

Heavy, malty and openly sweet, with the golden-tip character that first flush lacks entirely. It takes milk better than almost any other tea and is the backbone of most breakfast blends.

Flavour
Sweet, Nutty, Chocolate
Aroma
Malty, Caramelised
Mouthfeel
Full bodied, Rich, Astringent
Complexity
Moderate
Notes
malt, raisin, cocoa, toasted bread
Aftertaste
Thick and lingering, with a dry malty edge that milk softens.

Bold intensity: full-bodied, astringent or bitter enough to lead the cup.

Provenance and production

Origin
India
Region
Assam
Cultivar
TV1
Oxidation
Fully oxidised
Harvest
Second flush
Processing
Withering → Rolling and shaping → Oxidation → Drying

Brewing

No caffeine estimate is authored for this tea. TeaHQ does not infer one from its category, because category predicts caffeine poorly — matcha and gyokuro carry more than many black teas.

Common mistakes

  • Brewing first and second flush the same way — first flush wants cooler water and a shorter steep.

If you like this

Grouped by why they were suggested, strongest reason first. Nothing here is a blended score — a suggestion appears under the best reason that exists for it, and never under a weaker one as well.

Editorially linked

Someone wrote down why these two belong together. The note below is theirs.

  • Assam orthodox tippy

    The tips take the edge off. Once the malt is familiar, the untippy second flush is the same tea with its astringency intact.

  • Darjeeling muscatel

    Both are second flush from India and almost nothing else is shared. Expect the weight to vanish and grape to arrive in its place.

  • Malawi black tea

    Both heavy assamica blacks built for milk. Malawi is cheaper and simpler and does much the same job.

  • Assam first flush

    Both sold simply as Assam. The March picking is light and brisk, the May picking is the malty golden-tipped tea the region is famous for, and buying one expecting the other is routine.

Similar sensory profile

Shares controlled flavour, aroma and mouthfeel descriptors. A looser match — two teas can share descriptors and still taste nothing alike.

  • Golden Needle

    Shares 6 descriptors with Assam second flush: sweet, chocolate, nutty, full bodied, rich and malty.

  • Sabaragamuwa tea

    Shares 6 descriptors with Assam second flush: sweet, full bodied, rich, astringent, malty and caramelised.

  • Assam golden tips

    Shares 5 descriptors with Assam second flush: chocolate, sweet, full bodied, rich and malty.

  • Chai blend base

    Shares 5 descriptors with Assam second flush: nutty, full bodied, astringent, rich and malty.

Compare this tea with another

Journeys featuring this tea