Do soil, growth and environment influence the tea?

Influences of the soil, growth and the environment

One of the main ingredients to obtain a beautiful type of tea is the soil where the tea grows. Each soil has its own composition full of minerals that provides the tea with a rich taste. Every soil is also fed by running water. This can come from a source higher up, melting snow from the mountain tops or simply from the rain.

The growth of the tea plant is also a big part of creating the different flavors in the tea world. Some tea trees grow up to 15 meters, but most tea plants stop around 3 meters high. The more robust tea plants in India or the fine tea plants in Japan thus also contribute to the creation of a unique tea character.

Last but not least is the environment of the tea plants. We are talking about the climate, the fauna and the flora. These each contribute in their own way to the different teas.

Tea plantations grow best in a humid climate, but the climate cannot be the same everywhere. Because the climate cannot be the same everywhere, the tea plant is a very powerful plant that can withstand many conditions. The tea plant can withstand the cold, fluctuations in temperature, the sun and it wants to get enough water. Not only are they very strong, but they can also live up to 100 years.

Furthermore, the fauna and flora also contribute to the uniqueness of the tea. Just think of the different flowers, or insects that grow and float around between the plants.

Darjeeling Summer Flush or English Blend

A good example of a tea that only owes its unique character to its environment is the Darjeeling Summer Flush. This wonderfully pure tea contains no aroma, and therefore owes its entire character to the soil and environment. The Summer Flush, also known as the Second Flush, is the second crop of Indian Darjeeling tea and is picked from late June to early July. This excellent tea has a more layered taste, a floral scent and, compared to the First Flush, a stronger aroma.

Another pearl among the pure teas is the English Blend. In the Netherlands we know the English Blend as “regular tea”, but nothing is ordinary about this English Blend. This tea has a rich history and was developed in the time of the VOC for and by English tea drinkers. They wanted a tea with a strong and powerful taste that could be mixed with milk and candy.
This English Blend comes from various Sri Lankan plantations and has a powerful and rich taste with a slightly herbaceous aftertaste.