Organic Ceylon Black Tea
This terrific example of a high-grown organic Ceylon tea hails from the Idulgashinna Estate in Sri Lanka's southeastern Uva District, grown between 5,000 and 6,000 feet above sea level. Fair Trade Certified, this organic black tea is composed of finely twisted leaves of uniform size and dark brown color. Its mahogany infusion represents the best of high-grown organic tea, with a complex flavor profile, light body and classic brisk character.
Ingredients: organic Sri Lankan black tea
Origin: Idulgashinna Estate, Uva, Sri Lanka
Uva is a province landlocked in southern Sri Lanka, and is one of the most remote parts of the country due to its difficulty of access. The climate here imparts distinct tasting notes on the high-grown tea - the region is exposed to winds from the southeast and northwest, bringing gusts of dry air to the area. Because of how arduous it is to get to Uva, tea production here relatively limited. Located near Halbummulla, the Idulgashinna Estate is celebrated as both the world’s first-ever internationally certified organic tea garden in 1987 and the first garden in Sri Lanka to produce green tea.
Steeping Instructions
At Arbor Teas, we believe tea should be brewed to suit your personal taste. We’re happy to make recommendations to get you started, but don’t hesitate to experiment! When brewing your tea, your main considerations are tea quantity, water temperature, and steeping time. We recommend black teas to be steeped for 3 to 5 minutes in water heated to a full, rolling boil. For the best flavor, use fresh water whenever possible, and avoid overboiling. Try not to steep your tea longer than necessary, as you’ll extract undesirable bitterness from the leaves. If you want a stronger brew, don’t steep longer, just use more tea. And don’t forget to re-steep your tea leaves to get the most out of your leaf!
Looking for more info? Check out our How-To Guides and Eco-Brewing Tips!
Staff Perspectives
Lea
"This is light but it has a richness to it with a bit of a caramel note. "
Sarah
"This is a fairly strong cup of black tea with a hint of plum at the end. "
Aubrey
"This is a nice, high grown Ceylon - I like drinking it in the evening because of its laidback quality."
Health Benefits
Like all true tea, black tea offers many potential health benefits. Research has found that tea (Camellia sinensis) can have many positive effects on human health, including improved cardiovascular function, cancer risk reduction, improved immune function, improved oral health, and help with weight management. Tea is also full of polyphenols, which are a class of antioxidant that help your body maintain homeostasis and balance your stress levels. Black tea specifically has been found to regulate blood sugar in diabetics better than other types of tea, according to a study done by the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
For more information about the health benefits of black tea and other types of tea, and for direct sources of the above information, check out our Tea Health Benefits page!
Please note: the information above is for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
