COLOMBIA
Although known for its coffee for nearly two centuries, the South American country of Colombia is well suited for tea—the Andes cut down through it, and the equator runs across the its southern quarter
Around 70 years ago, Colombia's Department of Agriculture imported tea seeds from Sri Lanka, hoping to boost their own export economy. Although the country has experienced periods of unrest since then, several tea gardens are now producing tea, including some fine orthodox teas. One example is Colombia El Chocó (shown here), a black tea that's very much like a breakfast blend but without any maltiness.
And if you are wondering about the name of this particular tea, El Choco is an ecological region that runs from Panama down to Ecuador. Tutunendo, located within Choco in Colombia, is the third rainiest place on the planet!