Assam ‘Smokey’ Fu Soonga TGFOP Black Tea (No.55)

Assam Fu Soonga is a smokey black tea which has been produced in the Golagath District at the Hatidubi Tea Factory. The term “Fu” means to blow and “Soonga” means cane. Fu Soonga is a popular cooking method in Assam where young, green bamboo shoots are filled with foods and cooked over hot fires. The popular cooking method was adopted by tea producers in an experiment where they decided to blow smoke from burning timber through bamboo canes onto drying tea leaves. Instead of being burned over chinese pine wood like Lapsang Souchong, this Assam leaf is smoked with local woods from India. This would result in India’s first smokey Assam black tea, but not as strong as China’s Lapsang Souchong. Assam Fu Soonga has light smoky notes with muscat tones and is a must try for smokey tea lovers.

Discover Assam Tea

Assam tea comes from the Camellia Sinensis var. Assamica tea plant and is produced in the region of Assam, India. The tea plantations of Assam were introduced by the British during the colonial period. Assam tea is cultivated at or near sea level as it lies along the Brahmaputra river which stretches from the Himalayas through to the Bay of Bengal. The soil in the region of Assam is rich and fertile and benefits from a hot monsoon season. Assam tea is more oxidised than green or white teas; which results in Assam’s classic, dark leaf appearance. The growing conditions combined with the oxidisation process results in Assam’s full-bodied, malty flavour as well as its strong and brisk taste.

Learn more about Assam Tea in our tea blog