Sylvakandy Estate Tea from Ceylon just upped my taste standards when it comes to a nice cuppa black tea. The taste is quite distinctive from teas grown in the Assam area of India despite the varietal of Camellia Sinensis being the same (Camellia Sinensis assamica).
A lot of Ceylon teas are machine-processed and bagged, but this one is larger leaf pieces, not fannings and dust. The leaves are dark brown in color and have a wonderful aroma that is akin to raisins or dried plums. Take a deep whiff when you first open the package ― ahhhhh! Remember, tea is an experience for all of your senses, not just taste. You want to be sure to use clear, boiling water to bring out all that tea leaf goodness. Steep Sylvakandy Estate tea for at least 5 minutes. You can add some milk and sugar or other sweetener for a wonderfully flavored and satisfying cuppa!
This tea is from the Kandy region, the first region in Ceylon to grow tea and one of six tea-producing regions on this island nation. The teas of each region have distinctive tastes, with the ones from Kandy being regarded as mid country teas noted for their full-bodied taste, appealing to everyone who likes a good, thick, colorful liquid. The tea plantations are at elevations ranging from 2,034 to 4,070 feet, average by tea standards and low when compared with Darjeelings, Yunnans, and teas from Anhui province, to name a few. Kandy is still the top producer of tea in Ceylon, with most of their output being used in blends.
Enjoy this full-flavored tea with dinner or during your afternoon tea break. Frankly, I also like this as a breakfast tea, the aroma and taste being real “waker-uppers.” In fact, generally speaking, black Ceylon teas go with a wide variety of foods, from meats, pastas, cheeses and eggs, to sweets like baklava, carrot cake, cheesecake, raspberry tarts, banana cream pies, and pumpkin pie.
Ceylon teas are used in many blends, including brands like Barry’s and PG Tips, and in flavored teas. But this Sylvakandy Estate Tea can stand on its own with a flavor that will have you hooked from the first taste. Enjoy!
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