Ceylon tea

Ceylon tea (Ceylon, Sri Lankan tea) is tea from Sri Lanka grown in seven regions of the island. The country was renamed Sri Lanka in 1972, but the name Ceylon was kept for tea. An EU application for a protected geographical indication (PGI) has been published, but the name is not yet registered.

The leaf is Camellia sinensis. The first Chinese tea plants went into the Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya in 1824, and in 1839 plants from Assam and Calcutta arrived through the East India Company.

Commercial tea began with a single estate. In 1867 James Taylor planted Loolecondera near Kandy, about 7.7 ha. In 1872 a factory was working there, in 1873 about 10 kg of tea went to London, and on 30 July 1883 the first public auction took place in Colombo. Output passed 100,000 t in 1927, and in 1965 Sri Lanka became the world's largest tea exporter for the first time. According to UKTIA, the island has about 187,935 ha of tea and supplies more than 17 % of world exports.

There are seven regions. Nuwara Eliya lies above 1,800 m and gives a light, fragrant tea; Kandy, at 610–1,220 m, a strong one; the rest are Dimbula, Uda Pussellawa, Uva, Sabaragamuwa and Ruhuna. Teas are grouped as low, medium and high grown, and picking goes on all year because the mountains split the weather systems.

In UKTIA's words, Ceylon tea is brisk, full and bright in colour. USDA gives brewed black tea 20 mg of caffeine per 100 g, roughly 48 mg in a 240 ml cup as an estimate.

Unlike Darjeeling tea, already registered in the EU as a PGI, Ceylon tea so far has only a published application, filed on 25 September 2024. Ceylon and Assam together make up classic English Breakfast tea.

The key sign on the shelf is the lion logo. It belongs to the Sri Lanka Tea Board and certifies 100 % Ceylon tea packed in Sri Lanka; packers abroad may not use it, even when the tea inside is entirely Ceylon.

UKTIA suggests steeping Ceylon Uva for 3 minutes and Dimbula for 3–4, with or without milk, at 90–98 °C. For tea with milk, add the milk last.

Why this matters to you: the lion on the pack guarantees the tea was not only grown but also packed on the island.