Tea Glorious Tea...

Ceylon tea from Sri Lanka, acclaimed as the best tea in the world has its inherent unique characteristics and reputation running through more than a century. The influence of climatic conditions of its plantation imparts to the product a variety of flavours and aromas, synonymous with quality.

Sri Lanka as the 4th largest tea producing country globally, has a production share of 6% in the international sphere, and one of the world's leading exporters with a share of around 19% of the global demand. The total extent of land under tea cultivation has been assessed at approximately 187,309 hectares.

Sri Lanka produces tea throughout the year and the growing areas are mainly concentrated in the central highlands and southern inland areas of the island. They are broadly grouped under these headings according to their elevations:

High Grown Tea 

Ranging from 1200 metres (4,000 feet) elevation and upwards. High grown teas from Sri Lanka are reputed for their taste and aroma and are much sought after by blenders in tea importing countries.

Medium Grown Tea

In areas between 600-1200 metres (approximately 2,000-4,000 feet) elevation. Medium grown teas produce a thick colour tea popular in Australia, Europe, Japan and North America.

Tea Production

Enormous amount of time, effort and passion goes to creating a great cup of tea...

• The Tea plant, Camellia Sansis, takes 5 years for the seed to grow into a tea bush that produces leaves for plucking. When the plant is plucked two leaves and a bud are cut.

• An experienced plucker can pluck up to 30 kg tea leaves per day. To make one kg black tea, approximately 4 kg tea leaves are needed.

• One tea plant produces about 70 kg black tea a year, and will produce tea for at least 50 years. A suitable climate for cultivation has a minimum annual rainfall of 45 to 50 inches (l, 140 to 1,270 millimetres). Tea soils must be acid; tea cannot be grown in alkaline soils. A desirable pH value is 5.8 to 5.4 or less.

• Tea likes hot days, cool nights and plenty of rain, most high quality tea is grown in mountainous regions. During the growing season, tea is harvested every seven days.

• Only the two tender uppermost leaves and terminal buds are plucked by hand. After this gentle beginning, the leaves are left in a hot room to wither, then put into a machine that rolls the leaves and releases their juices. These juices react with the air (oxidation) giving black teas the colour and flavour we love.

• The tea is then dried in ovens (fired) and graded according to size. (this grading process is what is responsible for all of those confusing letters: OP (Orange Pekoe), BP (Broken Pekoe), and even FTGFOP (Fancy Tippy Golden Flowery Pekoe). Generally the more initials the better the Tea.

• The tea is then packed and sent to Ceylon tea auctions.

• Connoisseurs who work for brokers taste every batch of tea and note its quality.

• The tea is then sold at the auctions where the market determines the price based on supply and demand and quality.

• 'Teaz' buy at this stage and ship it to you, fresh, pure and unblended.
  
  ...as you can see, a lot of people with passion for tea put in many hours of work to bring you the perfect cup of tea to be enjoyed with family and friends.