Colombia as we all know is a country in South America and it is a relatively new area for growing tea.  The first interest in growing tea in Colombia began about 70 years ago, in the early 1950’s. At that time, the Colombian Department of Agriculture launched a research project to determine if the Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub, could become a viable agricultural product. They imported several varieties from established tea producers in Brazil and established several tea gardens to determine which type of tea plants and in what geographic area the crop might thrive. The country is best-known for producing coffee, but now produces small amounts of tea, including highly sought-after artisan orthodox teas.

 Now…

If you recall your geography from middle school, you should remember that it is a tropical country, with the equator running through the southern end of the country. It has similar weather all year round so it can harvest tea year – round. The soil where the tea is grown is rich in nitrogen, zinc and copper all which contribute respectively to the development of plenty of two leaves and a bud. The exotic, beautiful and peaceful Andes cut through the middle of the country and the gentle mists from the mountains, the rich soil and ample rainfall all stimulate the growth of the tea bushes, which produce teas with unique characteristics.  All in all, the consistent weather conditions of the country provide a comfortable atmosphere for the production of these teas which ultimately generate high yields of tasty and delicate tea-tips all year round.

Colombian teas…

Are planted in a unique way making them special in several aspects. The trees are planted short and spaced out, and often, the trees are made up of different varieties, mainly a mix of assamica, Cambodian and sinensis. This combination results in a natural mixture of tea leaves in every harvest. Many people don’t know about Colombian teas, thanks to the famous coffee farmer Juan Valdez and his donkey sidekick Conchita. The tea market in the country has, taken second place to coffee and the country’s strong coffee culture, but now these teas are being enjoyed worldwide.

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Next… Colombian black tea in my cup…