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In the building of plantations goes back to the English colonial masters. Tea in India
is owed to an early form of industrial espionage.
First of all China blocked its market and sold just for foreign currency. Only with opium the Englishmen could enter into counter purchase. This culminated finally in an economic war because of tea, the so called opium war (1839-1842), which ended with the occupation of
Hong Kong by the British. An English botanist disguised as a buyer finally brought the secrets of tea into the British colonies. They produced mainly black tea, which was different from Chinese tea and better for tea mixtures and for the enjoyment with sweets.
In Darjeeling there is a differentiation between first flush and second flush. The first flush, which is picked from March to April, is a high quality tea with a very fine flavor. The second flush, which is picked from May up to the beginning of July has got a stronger flavor.
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