The Garden's Mark: How to Read the Auction Room to Find Good Assam

A grade tells you the leaf size, not the cup. The garden's mark does: read year after year at the Guwahati auction by buyers who taste before they bid, it is the trade's running verdict on how one estate's tea actually drinks, and it is the best shopping tool a drinker has for seeking out Assam worth buying.

CTC vs Orthodox: Two Ways to Make Assam

Assam is processed two ways. CTC (crush, tear, curl) makes the brisk, strong granules behind most tea bags and builders' tea. Orthodox keeps the leaf whole for a more nuanced cup. Here is how they differ, why the chemistry diverges, and when to reach for each.