In Ceylon, this "island of tea," they mainly produce black tea, famous for its aromatic, amber-colored infusion and its rich, strong, tart taste. There are so many varieties of it that you can't list everything.
Here we will give a classification of tea varieties growing on an island based on a tea leaf, from the softest to the strongest.
Historic Tea Collection Plantations
Currently, Sri Lanka, which is small in its territory, is recognized as the third tea exporter in the world after China and India. There are several areas where everyone's favorite famous Ceylon tea is produced.
Sri Lanka (Ceylon Island) has seven main agroclimatic zones suitable for growing tea:
- Nuwara Eliya;
- Uda Pussellawa;
- Dimboola;
- Uva;
- Kandi;
- Ruhuna;
- Sabaragamuwa.
Each of the seven regions is characterized by certain geographical features, different air humidity. Therefore, tea grown in each area has its own characteristic shades of taste, aroma, strength and color of the infusion.
Tea picking seasons
It is collected all year round, an average of 300 thousand people are employed in this business. To collect tea, only a young tea shoot is suitable, at the end of which there are no more than three leaves and & nbsp; kidney.
The best tea is obtained when the pickers pluck the flea with & nbsp; one or two upper leaves and a half-empty kidney. Such tea is labeled as & laquo; Golden & raquo; (gold). In the tea hierarchy, & mdash; these are the most expensive varieties.
Tea collection method
Tea leaves are harvested and sorted manually.
Tea collection begins in the early morning. When the night fog had not yet melted & ndash; dozens of women flock in chaotic streams to the & laquo; tea fields & raquo;.
Only the fair sex trusts to collect delicate tea leaves.
For teas of the highest grade (and cost), non-decayed buds and the youngest leaves are used, only the first or second leaf (the first or second group of leaves on the shoot, counting from the end); more & laquo; rude & raquo; teas are made from mature leaves.
The work of collectors is quite heavy and monotonous: the ratio of the mass of finished black tea and raw leaf & mdash; about 1/4, that is, to make a kilogram of tea, you need to collect four kilograms of sheet.
The production rate for pickers is about 30 kg of leaf per day, while it is necessary to comply with quality standards and take only the necessary leaves from the bushes.
Raw materials for high-grade teas often grow on small plantations located separately on the mountain slopes, so that the need to switch from one plantation to another is added to the assembly of the leaf.
Ceylon tea varieties
It is divided into:
- Flat
- Medium-high
- High altitude
Plain tea grows up to 600 m above sea level, has a rich black color and a strong infusion.
The medium-raised tea variety has a brownish color, surpasses plain varieties in quality.
Tea plantations of these varieties are located at an altitude of 600 to 1200 m above sea level. The infusion of these leaves has a lighter color, bright and soft taste.
The best variety is highland tea.
This category includes such as & laquo; Dimbula & raquo;, & laquo; Nuwara-Eliya & raquo; and & laquo; Uva & raquo;.
Tea from the province of Nuwara Elia is rightly called & laquo; Ceylon champagne & raquo;. The mild, rich taste of these varieties, according to tea lovers, makes them unique. All high-altitude teas have a pronounced brown color of infusion and a tart, but at the same time velvet taste.
Ceylon teas
■ Nuvara Elia
2000 meters above sea level.
The highest mountain plantation on Nuwara Eliya Island. The aromas of cypress trees, wild mint and eucalyptus trees envelop the tea bushes, adding a specific aroma to the characteristic tea flavor.
The light tone of the brew suggests: the tea is very soft, intolerant, and with the addition of ice it turns into an exquisite and refreshing drink.
Tea from Nuwara Eliya district is among the most elite varieties. It is sometimes called & laquo; champagne & raquo; Ceylon teas. It has a moderately rich golden infusion, a mild and slightly astringent taste with an amazingly subtle aroma.
■ Uda Pussellaw
1800 meters above sea level.
Tea from the highlands of the province of Uda Pussellava, has a gentle taste at medium strength. This gives it sophistication and grandeur.
■ Dimbula
1050 – 1650 meters above sea level.
Dimbula is located in the west of Sri Lanka. Monsoons and cool climates give the drink a bright taste, ranging from rich to delicate with medium strength.
■ Ува
900 – 1500 meters above sea level.
Uva is located in the central part of the island.
It is mainly used for a variety of blends, giving each blend a different, but unique taste each time.
■ Kandi
600 – 1200 meters above sea level.
This plantation is named after the ancient capital of about. Ceylon. It is located on the north side of Mount Pidurutalagala, which makes tea less valuable than from the plantations of Nuwara Eliya.
Tea obtained from these plantations has a bright taste and refreshing aroma, it is ideal for lovers of strong and rich tea.
You can enjoy this tea with milk!
■ Rukhuna
600 meters above sea level.
Tea plantation in Ceylon, located in the very south of the country in the province of Yalla, where the famous Ruhunu National Park is located.
Tea from this plantation has an almost black, tart infusion. This is due to the peculiarities of the local soil, thanks to which tea leaves turn black.
It's one of the strongest teas in the world, with a nice floral touch on the palate.
Ceylon Tea Labeling
Flowery Orange Pekoe.
The leaf is very cute, with a golden tip that gives the tea a fragrant sweetness. Such tea is produced in Berubeula and Allen Valley. & nbsp;
Orange Pekoe.
Tea consisting of long, thin leaves is more fruity than the previous one. Pettiagalla and Kenilworth produce this wonderful tea. & nbsp;
Flowery Pekoe.
It tastes strong, fragrant. Well balanced tea. Produced in Dyraaba and Uva Highlands.
Broken Orange Pekoe.
These varieties from Saint James, Dimbula and Uva Highlands are distinguished by fragrance, strength, excellent quality. & nbsp;
Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings.
These varieties are so strong that they will easily replace coffee. This tea grows in the Uva Highlands and in Dyraaba.
Learn more about tea labeling at labeling and tea varieties .
Tea production is a universal process, despite the differences in volume and technological solutions, which include standard steps for processing assembled tea leaves. For more information, see Tea Production .