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Ceylon Black Tea

Wikipedia: Tea_production_in_Sri_Lanka#Ceylon_black_tea | Teaviews: ceylon-tea 
Last Updated: Mar. 19, 2014 

About Ceylon Black Tea

Loose-leaf black tea with long, wiry leaves, all fully intactLoose-leaf Ceylon Black Tea, Orange Pekoe 1, Uruwala Estate, Photo © WJ Houtman (Wikimedia Commons), CC BY-SA 3.0.
Ceylon black tea is a widely-consumed type of black tea, grown in Sri Lanka; as with India, most of the tea production in Sri Lanka is of black tea.

Ceylon is an old name for Sri Lanka which has stopped being used for the country outside of tea circles. Ceylon black tea is one of the most common teas in British tea culture, consumed on its own, used in breakfast blends, and frequently used as the base for flavored teas, like Earl Grey and various fruit teas.

Flavor and characteristics

Typical Ceylon black teas have a middle-of-the-road character, bolder and darker than most Darjeeling teas, but slightly lighter and less malty than a typical Assam.

Ceylon tea is diverse in quality and characteristics; much of it is mass-produced in large plantations and is used primarily in blending. Some single-estate Ceylon black teas are highly regarded, although they typically are not as well-known or expensive as teas from the Darjeeling or Assam regions of India. The leaf size and style also varies widely. A particular grade, OPA, is common in Ceylon and relatively uncommon in other areas.
Large, dark, very coarse-textured black tea leaves with irregular shapeAhmad Tea's Ceylon Tea OPA, showing the large leaves typical of this grade. Photo © Alex Zorach, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Ceylon OPA is a very bold, long-leaf tea with much larger leaves than the regular orange pekoe grade, but less delicate or wiry than the pricier OP1 grade.

Regional and altitudinal variability

Ceylon teas are typically grouped by altitude into three categories: high-grown, mid-grown, and low-grown, each of which having its own unique attributes. Low-grown teas are produced at 1,500-1,800 foot elevations, mid-grown from 1,800-3,500, and high-grown form 3,500 to 7,500.[1] There are higher and lower quality teas from all altitude regions, and it can be hard to generalize about quality from altitude alone.

The characteristics of Ceylon black tea also vary regionally, owing to different patterns of precipitation created by the steep topography of the island. Two important regions are Nuwara Eliya, producing high-grown Ceylon tea, and the Uva region, producing teas with unique characteristics resulting from its unique climate.

Buying single-estate teas or single-region blends can allow you to taste and experience the unique flavors created by each of these regions.

References

1. Jane Pettigrew, The Tea Companion, Quintet Publishing, London, 2004.

Recent Ceylon Reviews — RSS rss icon

85 / 100

I first came across Arbor Teas here on RT, decided to give them a try, and I'm glad I did. This is a bright, drinkable Ceylon. It is cut rough, and has a fresh, smooth, lightly fruity flavor. I found it enjoyable with either milk or lemon and sugar, and I am confident it would be good on ice too. The 7 oz bags are b...

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75 / 100
Picture of Ceylon Blackwood Estate Organic Black Tea

The aroma has a light sweetness. The taste has a slight sweet honey like flavor, that lingers on the tongue. The liquor (5 mins) is a appealing golden/honey. I would say this a solid all day tea.

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80 / 100
Picture of Ceylon Orange Pekoe

The aroma is a medium woodsy. Dark, twisted leaves. The liquor, after a five minute steep, is a very dark brown. Flavor is good, with a mild spicy after taste. This tea will be added to my regular rotation. Easy to sip all day.

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86 / 100
Picture of F.B.O.P. No. 1

This was another fantastic find at a local middle-eastern store. I am already a huge fan of Ahmad and Alghazaleen teas, and this was another tea in the same genre, yet with some interesting differences from those. Of those teas, this one tasted most similar to Ahmad's Ceylon OPA, but I liked it better.

The dry leaf ...

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93 / 100
Picture of F.B.O.P. No. 1

This is a wonderful classic cup of tea to enjoy in the mornings. It is smooth and easy to drink and it is thick bodied and flavorful without being too strong. The smell is like a normal tea. The value is what does it for me and why it is such a great tea to drink every morning, it is so cheap!

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Top Reviewers

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1Reviewer icon Alex Zorach4523
2Reviewer icon JGS1122126
3Reviewer icon Brytta Sóþword84
4Reviewer icon Sylvia63
5Reviewer icon Difflugia53

Review 6 teas to get on this list!

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Most-Rated Ceylon

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Ceylon (Ceylon Orange Pekoe)

Brand:Ahmad Tea
Style:Ceylon Black Tea
Region:Sri Lanka / Ceylon
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
84
8 Ratings
No image of this tea

Ceylon Tea OPA

Brand:Ahmad Tea
Style:Ceylon Black Tea
Region:Sri Lanka / Ceylon
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
85
6 Ratings
No image of this tea

Greenfield Estate Ceylon Black Tea

Brand:Arbor Teas
Style:Ceylon Black Tea
Region:Sri Lanka / Ceylon
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
91
4 Ratings
Picture of Cheericup Ceylon

Cheericup Ceylon

Brand:Mark T. Wendell
Style:Ceylon Black Tea
Region:Sri Lanka / Ceylon
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
85
4 Ratings
No image of this tea

Kenilworth Estate OP

Brand:Upton Tea Imports
Style:Ceylon Black Tea
Region:Kandy, Sri Lanka
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
72
4 Ratings

Top-Rated Ceylon

No image of this tea

Greenfield Estate Ceylon Black Tea

Brand:Arbor Teas
Style:Ceylon Black Tea
Region:Sri Lanka / Ceylon
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
91
4 Ratings
Picture of Cheericup Ceylon

Cheericup Ceylon

Brand:Mark T. Wendell
Style:Ceylon Black Tea
Region:Sri Lanka / Ceylon
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
85
4 Ratings
No image of this tea

Ceylon Tea OPA

Brand:Ahmad Tea
Style:Ceylon Black Tea
Region:Sri Lanka / Ceylon
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
85
6 Ratings
No image of this tea

Ceylon (Ceylon Orange Pekoe)

Brand:Ahmad Tea
Style:Ceylon Black Tea
Region:Sri Lanka / Ceylon
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
84
8 Ratings
No image of this tea

Kenilworth Estate OP

Brand:Upton Tea Imports
Style:Ceylon Black Tea
Region:Kandy, Sri Lanka
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
72
4 Ratings

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