Ceylon

A widely enjoyed, light black tea grown at varying altitudes on several estates in Sri Lanka.

Where is Ceylon tea from?
Ceylon is grown and produced in Sri Lanka. There are six main tea-producing areas in Sri Lanka:

• Galle, to the south of the island
• Ratnapura, about 55 miles east of the capital Colombo
• Kandy, the low region near the ancient royal capital
• Nuwara Eliya, the highest area that produces the finest teas
• Dimbulla, west of the central mountains
• Uva, located east of Dimbulla

How does Ceylon tea taste?
Ceylon is a light, distinctively crisp tasting black tea. The smell has very prominent citrus notes.

What else is Ceylon called?
Ceylon, like Darjeeling, is often labeled by the estate that it was grown. Some interesting notes:

• Morawak Korale district tea is grown at up to 2,500 feet
• Kandy district tea is grown at 2,500 feet or above
• Uva district tea is grown at 2,800 feet or above
• 'Dambulla' (or Dimbula) and Dickoya tea is grown at 3,500 feet or above
• Nuwara Eliya tea is grown at 6,000 feet or above

Is Ceylon used for anything else?
Ceylon was originally grown as a replacement for much of the coffee on the island, as a fungus wiped out a vast majority of the coffee crop. The coffee plantation owners cultivated Ceylon in an effort to diversify their offerings and protect themselves in the event of another ruined crop.