Leaf tea by Swachh Tea Darjeeling, Assam, green or white. Find your leaf.

Leaf tea, also called whole-leaf or orthodox tea, is rolled rather than cut, so the leaf stays whole or in large pieces. It infuses slowly and gives a clear, aromatic cup that is best without milk. CTC tea is crushed into small granules that brew fast, dark and strong, which is why CTC is used for Indian milk chai.

First flush is picked in spring, around March and April, and brews pale gold, light and floral. Second flush is picked in early summer, around May and June, and brews amber, with more body and the ripe, fruity notes Darjeeling is known for. If you are new to Darjeeling, start with the second flush.

For a classic Darjeeling cup, Darjeeling Second Flush. For something light and fragrant, Darjeeling First Flush. For an everyday green tea, Dooars Green Tea. For a strong black tea that also takes milk, Assam Black Tea. Not sure? Take a tasting flight and brew three side by side.

Use 2g of leaf, about a heaped teaspoon, for a 150 to 200ml cup. Brew green and white tea at about 80°C, which is boiled water left to stand for two or three minutes: 2 to 3 minutes for green, 4 to 5 for white. Brew Darjeeling at 85 to 95°C for 3 to 4 minutes (first flush a little cooler and shorter), and Assam and Himalayan black at 95°C to just off the boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Water that is too hot, or leaf left in too long, is what makes green tea bitter.

About 50 cups, at 2g of leaf a cup. Across this range, the tea in a cup costs between about ₹4.4 and ₹15.8. Green and white teas can be steeped two or three times, so the real cost of a cup is lower still.

Assam Black Tea takes milk well, like a strong breakfast tea. Darjeeling, green and white teas are best without milk, so their aroma comes through. A slice of lemon or a little honey goes well with Darjeeling and green tea if you like it.

Yes. Green and white teas give two or three good steeps from the same leaf; add a minute each time. Darjeeling gives a lighter second cup. Assam gives most of its strength in the first steep.

Yes. All true tea, whether green, white or black, contains caffeine. A cup of green or white tea usually has less than a cup of black tea, but it depends on how much leaf you use and how long you steep it.

Keep it in an airtight container away from light, heat, moisture and strong smells such as spices, because leaf tea soaks up aromas easily. Green tea and first flush Darjeeling are at their brightest in the first few months after opening.

Yes. Cash on delivery is available across India for a small fee, shown at checkout, and we confirm every cash on delivery order with you by phone or WhatsApp before it ships. Orders are dispatched from Siliguri within 24 hours and usually arrive in 3 to 7 days. Shipping is free on every order.

Yes. Message us on WhatsApp and we'll help you choose a tea and place the order.

Swachh Tea is the consumer brand of Palak Tea Co., a tea sourcing and grading business in Siliguri, West Bengal, where Darjeeling's hills meet the Dooars, built on 35+ years in India's tea trade. The same team supplies cafés, hotels and distributors, and tastes every lot before it is packed.