Assam Mangalam Loose Leaf Tea

A Malty Single Estate Assam, Loose Leaf 

Caramel aromas, deep malty body and a hint of spice. Assam Mangalam is a single estate loose leaf Assam tea for anyone who wants their morning cup to be a full-bodied, spicy and malty brew. 

If you are looking for loose leaf Assam tea that goes beyond the supermarket shelf, this is where to start. Assam Mangalam is a single estate Assam black tea from Mangalam Tea Estate in the Sivasagar district of Upper Assam, graded Extra Special FTGFOP1 and made entirely by the orthodox method. 

Available in 50g, a 100g caddy, 250g and 1kg. Buy now with free UK delivery on orders over £40. 

What is Assam Mangalam Tea? 

Assam Mangalam is a single estate Assam tea named after the garden that grows it. Unlike blended breakfast teas, which draw leaf from many gardens to hit a consistent price and profile, everything in this pack comes from one estate and one summer harvest. 

Mangalam Tea Estate was founded in 1973, making it young by Assam standards and it was designed from scratch around modern cultivation. Tea bushes are close planted across 118 hectares to encourage high yield, large leaves and an abundance of golden tips. 

The leaf is processed by the orthodox method rather than CTC, which keeps the Assam tea leaves structurally intact and produces a more layered cup. 

Tea Highlights 

• Single estate loose leaf Assam tea from Mangalam Tea Estate, Sivasagar district
• FTGFOP1 grade with abundant golden tips
• Orthodox processed whole leaf, not CTC or broken leaf
• Rich, full bodied and malty with caramel aroma and a hint of spice
• Dark amber liquor with real briskness
• Excellent with a splash of milk, refined enough to drink black 

Tasting Notes 

Appearance: Dark amber, bright and clear

Aroma: Warm caramel with malt and a touch of spice

Flavour: Rich, full bodied and malty with caramel sweetness and a spiced edge

Finish: Brisk, clean and lingering

With milk: Smooth, creamy and comforting. Holds its character rather than washing out

Black: Brighter and more expressive, with the caramel and malt clearly defined 

Ingredients 

100% pure single estate Assam black tea 

How to Brew Loose Leaf Assam Tea 

Read our full black tea brewing guide for the detail. For these Assam tea leaves:

• 3-4g of loose leaf per cup
• 200ml water at 100°C
• Steep for 3-5 minutes 

Use freshly drawn water at a full rolling boil. Black tea needs the heat to pull out the malt, so unlike green tea there is nothing gained by letting it cool. 

For a teapot, use 3-4g per person and give the leaves room to open. A generous infuser basket or a tea strainer works better than a cramped ball. 

If you’re adding milk, pour after brewing rather than before, so you can judge the strength as you go. A splash suits it. Assam Mangalam does not need drowning. 

Which Pack Size Should You Buy? 

At 3-4g per cup, here is roughly what each size gives you: 

• 50g pack: around 14 cups. Best for trying it before you commit
• 100g caddy: around 28 cups. Airtight, keeps the leaf fresh and the easiest size to gift
• 250g pack: around 70 cups. The everyday choice for a regular Assam drinker
• 1kg pack: around 280 cups. Best value per cup, ideal for households, offices and cafes 

Assam Mangalam or English Breakfast? 

This is the question we get most often. English Breakfast is a blend built for reliability and takes milk and sugar comfortably every time. Assam Mangalam is a single garden tea with more character, more caramel and more spice, and it rewards paying attention to it. 

If you want a workhorse brew for all day drinking, go with a breakfast blend such as Assam Breakfast. If you drink one or two really good cups a day, choose Mangalam. 

Origin & Craftsmanship 

Our Assam Mangalam comes from Mangalam Tea Estate in the Sivasagar district of Upper Assam, northeastern India, on the Brahmaputra plain. 

Assam produces the largest volume of tea of any single region on earth, and the conditions explain the flavour. Monsoon rainfall is extreme, daytime temperatures climb sharply and humidity sits high, creating greenhouse-like conditions that give Assam black tea its trademark malt. 

Mangalam sits slightly higher than most gardens in the district, which lengthens the growing cycle a little and adds depth to the leaf. The estate spans 118 hectares of close-planted assamica hybrids, laid out in one-acre plots with access roads between them so every section can be picked and supervised properly. 

This tea is a summer harvest, the flush that gives Assam its fullest body and richest malt. Explore more malty teas if that is the profile you are after. 

Further Reading & Related Teas 

Explore the rest of our Assam range and the wider black tea collection.

• Shop our full Black Tea collection
• More golden-tipped Assam: Assam Manjushree and Assam Thowra
• For an everyday brew, try Assam Breakfast
• Other classics: English Breakfast and Earl Grey
• Not sure where to start? The Classic Black Tea Discovery Collection includes taster pouches of five breakfast brews
• Read our guide to Assam tea taste, history and how to brew

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Assam Mangalam tea taste like? 

Rich, full bodied and malty, with a caramel aroma, a hint of spice and a brisk clean finish. It pours dark amber. Compared with a standard breakfast blend it is smoother and more layered, with less of the flat astringency you get from CTC leaf. 

Is Assam Mangalam good with milk? 

Yes. It has the body to take milk without losing its malty character, which is exactly what a good Assam should do. It is also refined enough to drink black, where the caramel and spice notes come through more clearly. Add milk after brewing so you can judge the strength. 

How much caffeine is in Assam tea? 

Assam is a black tea and contains caffeine, generally more than a green tea and less than a coffee. The exact amount depends on how much leaf you use, the water temperature and how long you steep it. Its natural caffeine is why Assam has traditionally been the morning cup. 

What does FTGFOP1 mean? 

Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe 1. It is an orthodox leaf grade used across India, indicating whole leaf with a high proportion of golden tips. The Extra Special designation sits above the standard grade. In practical terms it tells you the leaf is intact and tippy rather than broken. 

How should I store loose leaf Assam tea? 

Keep the leaves in an airtight, opaque container away from heat, moisture and strong smells. Tea picks up aromas from whatever sits next to it, so the spice rack is the worst place in the kitchen for it. Stored properly, black tea holds its character well for a couple of years. 

Do you sell Assam Mangalam in teabags? 

Not currently. Assam Mangalam is available as loose leaf only. If you want the convenience of a teabag, browse our black tea range for the teas we do offer in Triune™ teabags. 

This tea offers a cedar and butterscotch aroma and deep amber infusion. A strong malty cup with honey and spicy mouthfeel.

Pure Indian black tea